And You and I
by WatcheroftheSkies
Summary: As Nick and Judy investigate a string of mysterious crimes in Bunny Burrow, their newly formed relationship is strained and put to the test.
1. Chapter 1

**After taking a much needed break from writing, I have returned to republish this story and continue "Starless and Bible Black". I look forward to writing once more! This chapter uses the song 'Starless' by King Crimson. There will be a message when to start the song. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Starless**

"Come on Carrots, you have to learn to have a little fun", Nick chuckled from the passenger seat of the cruiser. "We can't even have very soft music on?"

Keeping her eyes on the road, Judy spoke with a slight hint of amusement to her tone. "I told you no already. I barely like conversation. That's enough of a distraction as it is. You and I both know that Bogo doesn't like us listening to music while we're on patrol. He finds it extremely distracting."

Lowering his sunglasses, Nick gave her a sly grin as he turned to face her. "Even if there's no lyrics? If you say no to instrumentals, then you really are the strictest mammal to walk this earth."

With the light ahead of them turning red, Judy finally turned from the road to face him. "No just hol-"

Nick held his finger up to her lips, silencing any attempt to try and justify her over-controlling nature.

"Just think about it Carrots. You always seem so hell-bent on following the rules to a tee that it's no wonder you have no fun on duty."

She kept her eyes on him, the entire time thinking to herself about how he was right. There was no point in arguing about it.

"I understand that we're supposed to have no distractions in the car while we're on patrol. But you really need to learn to lighten up." He flicked the tip of her right ear, which had now fallen flat against her back. She quickly swatted his paw. "It can't be healthy for you to constantly go around coiled tight like that."

Judy's neutral expression now morphed to one of slight aggravation. "I take out all my stress from work when I get home. It's not that damn hard to control yourself at work."

Nick pulled his ears down flat against his head and let out a joking gasp. "Watch your fucking language! We need to maintain my purity." Even though he left the con jobs far behind, he was still able to maintain a perfect poker face to keep the joke convincing. Judy tried to do the same, but a smile still tugged at the corners of her mouth. She turned her attention back to the light to see it had just turned green. She accelerated the car rather quickly, causing Nick to lose his balance and knock his muzzle on the center console.

"Now you definitely need to allow me to have some music. That was just cruel", he said while rubbing his chin.

"Fine", Judy sighed in defeat. "But keep your promise. No lyrics so we can maintain our concentration." Keeping one hand on the wheel, she pulled the auxiliary cord from her pocket. She no longer trusted Nick with it and had to keep it on her. He quickly reached over and snatched it from her outstretched paw, relishing in his victory.

"You better not play anything weird", Judy mumbled, still regretting bowing down to his desires.

Nick put a paw to his chest and took a joking gasp identical to the previous one. "Madame, I wouldn't dare play anything that would upset you. I am a gentleman after all."

Judy let out a forced laugh. "You? A gentleman? What a load of bullshit."

As Nick plugged one end of the cord into the radio and the other into his phone, he let a genuine smile come across his face. "Since when did you become such a potty mouth?" He unlocked his phone and started scrolling through his music library.

"Since my neighbors decided to stay up all night playing poker with their friends. If I don't get enough sleep I get a little cranky. Not wanting to bring it on others, I curse."

Nick locked his phone and dropped it into the cup holder. "In the three months we've been partners, I have yet to see this side of you. And I must say, I rather enjoy it" he chuckled as the sound of synthesizers faded into the speakers.

"I must say, I'm surprised you picked something calming. What is this?" Judy turned a corner that now put them facing directly into the sun. Nick dropped his sunglasses from atop his head down onto his muzzle.

"It's called Shine On You Crazy Diamond. The band is called Pig Floyd. Name ring a bell at all?" Nick had now put his left paw down on his thigh. Judy glanced out the corner of her eye as she saw him playing the synthesizer on an invisible keyboard. She decided to not bring it up.

"I don't know the music, but I know they did the album with the prism on the front. I'm curious about this song title more than anything."

"They wrote this song, well basically the whole album, to pay respect to their founding member. He was a rabbit named Syd Carrot. After writing their first album, he overdosed on acid and completely fried himself. He left the band and they didn't see him again until he walked into the studio years later while they were recording this album. He looked awful, and no one could recognize him anymore."

"That's awful", Judy proclaimed, placing a paw over her heart.

"Yeah, well that's what happens when you don't learn to have self-control." He gazed out the window as they now passed through what he assumed to be the lower quality living accommodations. They didn't require as much attention as some of the gang-plagued slums of the city, but still needed a little watching every once in a while.

" _Nobody knows where you are, how near or how far. Shiiine ooon you craaazy diamond_."

"I thought we agreed to music with no lyrics, Nick" Judy mumbled as her grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly.

"You really can't have just a _little_ fun, can you Carrots?" Nick kept his gaze out the window, fearing that Judy's vision may burn holes through him if he turned to face her.

"I just really want to stay focused, Nick. I understand you're not using to following the rules. But you really need to learn." She let out a slight sigh. Nick finally turned to catch a glimpse of her. He was shocked to see her expression was now slightly saddened. Her mouth was in a small frown and her nose twitched slightly.

"Did I really upset you that much", Nick asked. All sense of joking had left his tone.

"I know I seem strict, but I just really want to you to follow the rules. I'm trying my best to turn you into the model citizen and officer we both want you to be."

Nick didn't know what to say. He thought that her rule of no lyrics was asinine, but he could now see that it really meant a lot to her that listened to her. He thought for a solid minute before he turned back to her. "Look Carrots, I'm sorry. I kind of twisted your arm behind your back so you could break a rule for me. And I abused that kindness by trying to press my luck."

They came to another intersection as the light turned yellow. Judy applied the brakes and slowly came to a stop. She turned to him in partial astonishment. Had Nick really admitted to his mistake? "Thanks Nick. That means a lot to me that you took notice of your actions. But I still want the music off now"

Nick pulled the sunglasses down his snout so he was no peering over the tops of the frames. "Or how about we make a deal? We keep the music on and I return the favor by performing a genuine act of kindness?"

Judy thought it over in her head for a few seconds before letting a grin go across her face.

"I have no plans tonight. You'd think that the famous bunny cop would have multiple others breaking down her door on a Friday night. But sadly that's not the case. I'll let you leave on the music if we hang out tonight."

Nick smiled along with her and outstretched his paw. "You have a deal. Meet at my house for, let's say 6?"

"Deal." Judy took his paw and shook it.

The light turned green, and the cruiser continued straight.

"How much longer do we have until our shift is over" Nick asked as he shuffled through his music library again.

"We're supposed to report back to the station for 2:30." Judy glanced at the clock on the dash on the vehicle. "2:15. Looks like we only have 15 minutes left!"

Nick let out a hearty laugh as he stared at his phone screen.

"And just what is so humorous, Officer Wilde?"

Nick wiped a tear from his eye and held his phone screen to her face. "Daylight savings time was today and you forgot to set the clock forward. It's 3:15!" He continued to laugh, dropping his phone onto the floor of the cab.

"You mean we've been done for 45 minutes?! I better get some fucking overtime" Judy muttered through gritting teeth. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened so the skin on her knuckles turned white and shone through her fur.

"I don't think the Chief… will reimburse you… for your own mistake" Nick choked out between deep breaths.

* * *

Judy walked out of the elevator and onto the second floor. She had easily found the address that Nick had scratched down on a piece of paper before they left the station to go freshen up at home. Feeling sort of ashamed of herself for expecting a low quality facility, she now looked around in amazement as she walked down the hallway. The floors were a deep, rich brown hardwood. The walls, being painted a cream color, were accented by the soft glow of ice blue lights between every other apartment door. Even the doors themselves spoke with a sense of simplicity, yet still managed to appear high end. Each door was constructed of a sheet of frosted glass. The glass had no designs or other features aside from a chrome door handle, a chrome plaque with the apartment number etched in black, and a 3 inch chrome border around the perimeter of the door.

"2118… 2116…" Judy whispered to herself as she watched the numbers count down. "Here it is, apartment 2112." She folded the piece of paper neatly in half and slid it back into her pocket. It was nice to not have to carry a purse around where ever she went. She worse a casual flannel shirt and blue jeans, being grateful to have pockets she could utilize. Outstretching her paw, she gave the frosted glass three light raps. There was no movement after 30 seconds of patiently waiting, so she assumed he may not have heard her the first time. She knocked again, this time a little harder. Waiting again, she still received no response. She reached into her pocket to pull out her phone so she could call him to answer the door. Being met with an empty pocket, she remembered she had left it charging on her nightstand while she took a shower.

"Dumb bunny, dumb", she mumbled to herself as she smacked her paw against her forehead.

She gave the door an even louder knock and waited. Still no response. "Nick? Nick, are you in there?" Nothing. Perhaps Nick had forgotten about his promise and gone out. Maybe she should just go back home and forget about this.

"No, that is not an option" she whispered to herself. Ever since Nick had been assigned as her partner, she got the feeling that there could possibly be something more to their relationship. Whether or not that feeling was true or not, she knew she had to figure it out one or another. It constantly nagging away at her from the back of her mind was starting to get aggravating.

Judy glanced around, starting to become a little skittish of being in the hallway alone. As nice of a complex as it was, she still hated the idea of someone lurking behind a corner to pounce on her. Formulating no other option, she grabbed the door handle and hoped it was unlocked. To her instant relief, the door opened and she quickly retreated inside.

The apartment far surpassed all her expectations. First entering through the door, she found the kitchen to be immediately to her left. All the cabinets were cherry wood, with glossed grey granite countertops. The appliances were all stainless steel, with not a single one bearing any smudge or scratch. Her gaze then turned to the living room, which the kitchen opened up into. The walls were painted pure white, with the floors being the same dark hardwood from the hallway. The center of the living room was adorned with a crimson rug. A light gray couch sat facing the wall where a large flat screen television had been mounted. The wall that Judy was facing was not a wall, but a large pane of glass. Like the stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, its surface was absent of any blemishes.

"Son… of… a…", Judy let out as she slowly stepped further into the apartment. For a fox who like to where collared shirts wrinkled and not tucked in, along with a sloppily knotted tie, she was astounded at the state of perfection he kept his living space in. Walking into the living room, she now noticed that there was a cherry wood side table next to it. The only two items on it were a remote for the television and a framed photograph of her and Nick the day he graduated from the ZPD academy. She felt a smile tug at her lips as she thought that Nick maybe did have some feelings in him.

 _Pop._

Judy's attention was diverted from the picture to a hallway she hadn't noticed upon entering.

"Nick, is that you?" She moved from the living room and into the hallway. At the end of the hallway was an open door, revealing his bedroom. But what caught her attention was the door on the left, where she could hear movement.

"Now where did I put those batteries" she heard him ask.

"I hope you don't mind that I let myself in Nick. I knocked and you didn't answer. I would have called you, but I left my phone charging on my nightstand."

As she opened the door, she saw Nick had his back to her. His ears were covered up by a pair of stereo headphones. Their long cord led back to a receiver that sat on a shelf against the wall. The shelf was also filled with vinyl records, adorned with an expensive looking turntable on top. Next to the turntable, an album cover with a blue owl on it had been placed in a stand, the record it once held now being played. It then became clear to her that he hadn't heard her knocking or speaking just now over the music. She asked herself why he was drowning out all other surrounding sounds when he knew she was supposed to be knocking at his door.

Just as she was about to full step into the room to greet him, he picked up a clock from the table he stood in front of. He closed the cover on the back. Judy assumed the batteries he had asked about moments before had been for the clock. As he hung it back on the wall, she took notice of the time.

5:07

"Oh no…." She whispered. The watch she had used to gauge her time to get here had not been set forward. She was here an hour early, and invading his home.

Judy quickly ducked out into the hallway as she saw Nick begin to turn around. From outside, she heard him stop the record and set his headphones down on top of the shelf.

"I still have plenty of time before Judy gets here. Might as well play some guitar."

 _He never mentioned being able to play any instruments_ , Judy thought.

She slowly peered around the corner to see Nick sit down in a chair with a guitar in hand, his back to her. As he sat down, he looked into the guitar case that now sat open on the floor. He stared into it for a solid 15 seconds before reaching into. He pulled out a picture and placed it on his lap. Being too far away, Judy was unable to see what the picture was.

Nick let out a sigh that sounded to be of slight discomfort. "I can never seem to escape this" he let out with a tone of sorrow.

 _I have never heard him sound so heartbroken_ , Judy thought as she put a paw to her heart.

Nick got up from the chair and walked over to his stereo. Grabbing an auxiliary cable from the behind the shelf, he plugged in his phone. Hitting play and walking back to the chair, Judy heard the music begin.

 **Begin 'Starless'**

The song began with a violin opening, soon followed by a soft introduction by the drummer. Its tone was somewhat dark, darker than anything Judy had ever listened to. She heard the violin and drums change the rhythm they had been following. It was then that Nick began to play.

She watched as he stared at the picture on his lap, never looking at the strings as he continued to play.

Although Judy had never once touched an instrument, she could tell that Nick had been playing for a long period of time. His fingers found each new chord with ease, sliding up and down the neck with ease and grace. The song changed in rhythm again, and this time, Nick looked up to point his attention out the window.

" _Sundown… dazling day"_

 _"Gold…. Through my eyes"_

 _"But my eyes… turned within… only see"_

" _Starless and… Bible Black"_

Judy continued to peer into the room from the doorway. Her mouth now hung open in pure shock and awe. A tear had started to form in her eye. She had no idea that Nick had such a beautiful voice. He never sang in the car. He hadn't even sung happy birthday at Clawhauser's surprise party the previous week. It now dawned on Judy that even someone as tough as Nick had a side to him that he didn't want anyone to see.

 _Tink_

Judy's attention was brought back to Nick. Even with her advanced hearing, she could barely make out the sound of something coming into contact with the floor. She looked down to see a few spots where liquid had hit the ground. Was… was he crying?

" _Old… friend… charity"_

 _"Cruel… twisted smile"_

 _"And the smile… signals emptiness for me"_

" _Starless and… Bible Black"_

With the last line, Judy could now very well hear the pain and suffering cracking in his voice. She watched as his fingers slipped from the neck and his other hand dropped the pick to the floor. He began to sniffle as he walked over to the receiver and turned off the music. Laying the guitar gently back down into the case, he started walking towards the door, his hands wiping tears from his face. Judy quickly ran down the hallway and turned the corner into the living room. She peered her head around the corner as she watched Nick walk into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

"What in the living hell broke him down like that" Judy whispered as she heard the shower turn on. It still was not enough to drown out his sobs through the door.

Judy silently slinked back into the room Nick had just left. Turning back one final time to make sure he was staying in the bathroom, she walked over towards the chair. The picture he had had on his lap had fallen on the floor. Being printed on what appeared to be plain copy paper, the tears it had landed had begun to splotch the ink.

"Oh no….." Judy let out as she put her free paw over her mouth. Staring at the picture, all her hopes of something possible forming with Nick were obliterated in an instant. The photo was of two foxes. One was Nick with a large grin across his face. His arm was placed over the second, pulling them close. Through her tears, Judy could make out a female fox with an equally large grin, her eyes gazing lovingly at Nick.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Fracture**

Judy slowly retreated towards the open doorway, letting the picture slip from her paw. She had failed to stop the tears, and now they streamed down her cheeks. Her ears were pressed flat against her back, the insides turning a deep crimson.

"I knew… this was a mistake…", she croaked while entering the hallway. Trying to clear her vision, Judy used the sleeve of her flannel shirt to wipe her eyes. As soon as tears were wiped away, new ones materialized to take their place. She turned the corner and walked past the kitchen to the front door. Opening it quietly so as to not alert Nick of her presence, she took one last look back the hallway and left.

"What was I thinking? This was nothing more than a silly attempt at an almost impossible chance."

* * *

Nick looked up to face himself in the mirror. Of all the times he'd slept under a bridge or had the life nearly beaten out of him, he thought that he never looked worse than he did now. His ears now lay flat against the back of his head. Upon closer inspection of his eyes, he noticed just how bloodshot they had become. The police uniform he had unbuttoned to leave open while lazing around the house exposed that his chest was rapidly inflating and deflating.

"Get ahold of yourself…" Nick looked back up and stared into his blood-rimmed eyes. "There's nothing more you can do to bring her back. Just push it away and recompose yourself." He trudged over to the shower and turned it on its coldest setting.

His mind brought forth the memory of his graduation from the police academy. All he could focus on was the excitement Judy failed to contain as she approached him at the reception. She embraced him, so proud that she had managed to help Nick reconstruct his life for the better. Now he thought if she were to see him now: nothing more than the burnt out carcus of what used to be a strong and resolute fox. He snapped back to reality and blinked his eyes.

"This night isn't about your past mistakes. This is about repaying Judy for helping you turn your life around." He walked to the opposite wall of the bathroom and grabbed a towel and washcloth. As he passed by the mirror once more, he stopped. Setting down the towels in front the shower, he rotated to face it. He pulled the left side of the unbuttoned shirt over his bare chest. His badge caught the reflection from the lighting, causing it to shimmer brightly.

"She's done so much for you. Show her that it wasn't in vain."

* * *

Although the tears were no longer coming from gushing faucets, a few still managed to escape. Judy wiped the remaining ones on her sleeve. She was only steps from her car, yearning to leave. Although she had no idea what she wanted to do, she knew in the very least that it was wise to leave Nick's apartment complex. Retrieving the key fob from her pocket, she unlocked her car and quickly scurried into the driver's seat.

"What a hell fest this turned to be", she sighed will starting the car's engine. Her rumbling stomach caught her attention. She had forgotten that Nick hadn't stopped to pick up their lunch earlier, so now her insides were eating her up. Even if she was in no mood to eat, she knew she had to have something in her stomach.

"I can always stop at the grocery store and just buy a sushi roll." Judy reached into her pocket for her wallet. After finding it empty, she realized she had put it with her phone so as not to forget it.

"That sure did a hell of a lot of good", she mumbled while slamming her head into the steering wheel. Her ears slightly perked up when she remembered she always kept some cash clipped to her sun visor. She folded it down, and that's when her tears began to slowly form once again.

"Nick…" she whispered as she starred at the photograph clipped to the visor along with some small bills. Forgetting she had put it there, it was a surprise for her as she stared at the picture of her and Nick. She had snuck the selfie while they were in their office one afternoon. Remembering that day in perfect detail, she pulled it from the clip on the visor.

Chief Bogo had banished them to their office to do paperwork for the afternoon. Although Judy didn't mind slaving in front of a computer screen for a few hours, it drove Nick up the damn wall. Although he never meant it seriously, he whined and complained for Judy to entertain him. He seemed to get his enjoyment from her misery. To shut him up, Judy had pulled a cheap cup of instant noodles from her desk drawer. She had no idea how old they were, but at this point, she thought a little food poisoning was justified for Nick.

After removing it from the microwave, Nick ripped off the cellophane lid and dug a fork in. He placed half of the noodles into his mouth, leaving the other connected half dangling from his muzzle. Judy seized the opportunity and posed with him for a picture.

In the picture, Nick looked like a small child who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. His emerald eyes were wide, being taken by surprise. Judy had stuck her head into the corner of the shot, capturing her roaring laughter in a pause of time.

 _Plop_

A tear landed on the picture, Judy smiling for the first time since she left Nick's apartment. That's when it dawned on her.

"Nick has room for more than one mammal in his heart..." she let out, knowing he was unable to hear her.

"He may only love one, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for me to still be his friend."

She wiped the tears from her face for the final time. Cutting off the engine to her car, she got out and locked it back up. She slid the picture carefully into her pocket and walked back to the elevator.

* * *

Nick squirted some cologne on the back of his paws and rubbed them together. He then proceeded to rub the back of his paws around his neck. He flattened out any wrinkles he still saw on his tucked in crimson polo shirt. Thankfully, the black slacks he wore were free of any lint or imperfections.

'Lookin' good, Mr. Wilde", smiling as he gazed at his improved reflection.

 _Knock knock_

"Shit, she's here…" Acting frantically, he ripped open the door to his bathroom cabinet and pulled out a bottle of saline drops. He put a few in each eye, hoping to dissipate any more bloodshot left from his meltdown.

Giving one final look at the mirror, he clicked his tongue and gave himself two pistol shots from his finger guns.

 _Knock knock_

He turned out the hallway to his front door. He could barely make out Judy's silhouette through the frosted glass. With one final calming breath, he opened the door.

"My my my, don't we look ravishing?"

"I feel so under-dressed compared to you" Judy let out as the inside of her ears turned a light shade of pink.

"And I feel over-dressed compared to you. We both feel bad, so that makes us even" Nick chuckled as he let her in and shut the door.

"Nick… this apartment… it's… breathtaking" Judy exclaimed. She did her best to try and replicate the astonishment she felt when she had invaded his home an hour prior.

"I never thought you had a high-class pallet."

"Well I wanted a place I could always find comforting. This is just my taste." Nick walked into the kitchen and put two wine glasses on the island.

"I'm just extremely surprised that you can afford all this. The rent for this place can't be cheap."

Nick popped the cork on a bottle of mid-sweet white wine and poured some into each glass. "And I can assure you it wasn't. I did more than just the pawsicle hustles." He took a glass in each hand and walked over to the bar Judy had taken a seat at. Sliding a glass to her, he took a sip from his. "And let's leave it at that. I just simply did 'more'. I don't need to be telling a cop any further details."

He gave her a smug grin and walked to his refrigerator.

"Wise decision on your part." Judy had noticed that his eyes were still faintly red. She did her best to conceal that she had noticed it.

"Oh no, I knew I forgot something!"

"What's wrong Nick?" Judy put her glass down and walked over to him.

"I forgot to go to the grocery store on my way home from headquarters. So unless you want to eat some dill pickle slices and Greek yogurt for dinner, we'll have to starve."

"Or…" Judy dragged on, "We could do something no one has ever considered. We could _go out_ to eat."

Nick shut the fridge with a smile and a shake of his head. "I swear I would lose my own head if it wasn't for you, dumb bunny."

"You're pressing your luck, smart ass."

"Still cranky from sleep deprivation? Maybe it would have done you some good to take a nap before you came over."

Walking out the front door of the apartment complex, Nick and Judy both walked silently. Each was running over the events of their mental breakdowns from earlier in their minds, completely oblivious that the other had had a similar heartbreak.

"We can take my car." Judy broke the awkward silence and pulled her key from her pocket.

"That's not necessary. We can take mine."

"But… but you don't even have a car. You always walk to work."

"And how else do you think I keep this scrumptious body ripe for the picking?" He ran a paw down his chest and stomach.

"Just when I think you've topped all the ways to make me sick, you manage to completely outdo yourself. And I thought that you wearing blueberry underwear was bad enough."

"C'mon Carrots, lighten up. We both know you've snuck a peak into the locker room once or twice. It's not my fault bunnies tend to have strong urges."

"I have never looked in the locker room! How dare you accuse me of such a heinous act!"

Nick chuckled and looked down to her. "Then how else would you know that I wear blueberry underwear?"

"Damn it…" Her ears went flat down against her back and turned a deep red. She tried cupping the insides away from Nick so he wouldn't notice.

"I guess next you're going to tell me that you didn't notice a hefty bulge under that blueberry underwear."

"Can we please just go to your car?!" Judy ran ahead, not caring is she was heading even remotely in the right direction.

"Why's he talking dirty with me when his heart is already taken" Judy asked once she was out of his ear range. "Is he just trying to screw with my head or is he actually serious?"

"I will admit, I never pegged you for wanting to own a Jeep" Judy screamed out as the topless vehicle sped down the interstate.

"Sorry Carrots, you'll have to speak up" Nick jokingly retorted.

"Did you really have to take the top off this car?"

"Well of course. Why own a convertible when you don't take advantage of that feature?"

Judy sighed loudly, knowing that it couldn't be heard over the scream of the wind. She watched the buildings alongside the interstate fly by. As much as she hated the impending loss of hearing that was to come from riding in the Jeep, she would admit to herself that the wind felt fantastic as it soared through her fur.

"And here's our exit" Nick let out, knowing that Judy could barely hear him.

The Jeep swerved onto the exit ramp and slowed to a stop at the intersection the off ramp led to.

"So where exactly are you taking us?" Judy smoothed her fur back down the best that she could.

"I was going to pick up a meal for each of us from a kitchen that I like. Then I thought we could go somewhere to eat it. Does that _satisfy_ you?" Nick turned to her, a smile of satisfaction plastered on his face.

"Damn it, Nick, stop it! I am not some sex-crazy machine that constantly has to be refueled."

"I'll take that as a yes. You just stay in the car while I go get our food."

Judy hadn't noticed that they had come to a stop in front of the restaurant. Her mind had been so clouded with all the different scenarios that could explain Nick's behavior that she had pushed any outside interference away.

Once Nick was inside, she immediately pulled her ears down over her cheeks.

"Why is he _flirting_ with me? He's never acted like this before..."

A million thoughts raced through her mind.

Was Nick actually attracted to her?

If so, then what of the vixen in the photograph that caused him to break down and cry?

Was he just trying to use her as a means of making her jealous?

Well wait, how was she to know that Nick hadn't managed to piss off that vixen far beyond the point of no return?

"Hold it..." Judy pulled herself out of her mental olympiad. "You're letting yourself become swamped in numerous ideas that, let's face it, all seem highly unlikely."

She threw her head back into the seat and let out a long breath.

"Just recompose yourself and try to think of only logical explanations…"

"Did you say something?"

"Sonofabitch!"

"First off, watch that potty mouth. Second, I really didn't mean to startle you. I'm sorry." Nick tried to sound legitimately serious, but a hint of laughter made it to the forefront of his tone.

"It's alright, you're fine. I was just lost in my thoughts."

"Don't get too lost. I'm not volunteering for a rescue mission."

Nick placed the two meals on the floor of the backseat and started the car. He plugged his phone into the radio and the speakers flooded the vehicle with music.

"Does there have to be music" Judy pleaded as the car backed out of the parking lot.

"If I didn't play anything, then my speaker upgrades would go to waste" Nick smirked as he dumped the Jeep into second gear and sped off down the road.

* * *

"A park? Really, Nick? At 8 at night?"

"Learn to venture out of your comfort zone Carrots. You may find that you actually enjoy it."

Nick cut the Jeep's engine and flipped off the headlights. Lifting their meals from the backseat, he walked around to the passenger door and opened it for Judy.

"Need a hand" Nick asked with an outstretched paw.

"Maybe if this damn thing wasn't raised so high off the ground, I could manage."

Nick helped her down and closed the door behind her. They walked out the parking lot and onto the grass.

"Oh sweet lord, Nick. Not even Bunny Burrow had grass this lutious and soft." The park itself was massive, but the section that Nick had taken them to was a small, freshly mowed field with a perimeter of dense pine trees. A worn dirt path led its way from the parking lot, wound through the field and into the dense layer of trees. In the center of the field stood a lone oak tree.

Nick looked over at Judy with a grin of satisfaction spreading across his muzzle. "I knew you would appreciate how well this park is taken care of. It seems that this is the only time city government was able to complete a task and do it well." Nick looked up at the night sky and sighed with relaxation. It seemed like an eternity since the last time he felt something beneath the pads of his feet besides concrete or something manmade.

"How did you know about this park?" Judy continued to let the blades go between her toes, relishing in the breathtaking sensation.

"I used to come here a lot a few years ago. It was where I used to come to…" Nick thought back to the nights he spent here with the vixen, back to when his life wasn't all bad.

"…to just untangle my thoughts and sort them out when things in life got complicated."

He set down their meals under the tree and sat down.

"C'mon, Carrots. My hearing may not be as good as yours, but even I could hear your stomach growling on the way over." He patted the ground next to him and scooted over slightly.

"What? No blanket or anything?"

"Were you not just practically bathing in the beauty of nature? Now you want to cover it up?"

Judy admitted defeat and plopped herself down next to him.

"You know what, Nick? I was a little skeptical of letting you choose where we went. But I should have known by now that I can trust you."

Nick looked down at her next to him, the smile on his face a little lesser. "Oh? And why would you have reason to doubt my decisions?"

Judy froze for a second, contemplating whether or not she to come clean. "When we first met, I thought that you were the most deceteful mammal to walk this Earth."

Nick's ears went down a little, his feelings slightly hurt by the sudden admittance.

"But…"

" _But?_ " Nick leaned in a little closer, his smile returning to full strength.

"Nick?"

"Aren't you going to finish?" He watched as Judy held her paw up to him, a picture of two foxes in her grasp. His smile vanished, his ears dropped down flat against his head, and his emerald eyes grew wide with fear.

"Who is this" Judy asked, a tear rolling down her cheek.


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter uses the song 'Heroes' by David Bowie**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Fallen Angel**

Nick's eyes went wide with shock.

"How… how did you get that?"

Judy pushed the picture closer, the tear-stained memory now touching his muzzle.

"Please, Nick. Just answer my question. Who is this?" Her noise twitched, her chest heaving as she began to sob heavier. Her ears had fallen limp.

Avoiding the interrogation, Nick slipped into his right pocket and felt around. Nothing.

"Shit, it must have slipped out of my pocket."

Nick turned back to Judy, her heartbroken lavender eyes overflowing with tears.

"I'm begging you, Nick… just… _please_ tell me who this is."

"Carrots… why are you making such a big deal out of this?"

Judy's mouth fell open, but no air escaped. Her sobbing ceased momentarily, only to soon come back tenfold. Her flannel shirt now looked as if she had run through a sprinkler. With only final croaking breath, she dropped the photo and ran.

"Carrots, wait!" Nick was soon to follow, but Judy had already gained a substantial lead in the few seconds before Nick decided to follow suit. As he ran, he saw her wiping tears away with the sleeve of her flannel shirt.

"Damn it, please stop running and just tell me what's wrong!" Nick had finally caught up, grabbing hold of her arm. Her sleeve was soaking wet.

"Just… just let me go…" Judy let out between sobs. She strained to break free of his grasp, but to no avail. Continuing to wipe her eyes, Judy turned to him and choked on her words as she finally lost all control of herself. She now cried out, letting all her emotions escape in a violent storm of sobs and painful moans.

"Carrots…" She looked back away.

"…Carrots… Judy! Listen to me!" That got her attention.

Nick rarely used her real name. The only time he refrained from using his childish nicknames was to fully grab her attention. Once again, it worked.

"…As… as long as you listen to me first…" Her tear flow had decreased in quantity, but was still far from being a trickle.

Nick pulled her down, sitting her next to him on the grass. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, her head now resting on his chest. "Alright Judy, I'll hear you out." Any old sense of the former conman or jokester was gone from his expression. It had been replaced with one of complete understanding, one of openness and caring.

"I want to know who was in that picture with you."

"I honestly don't see why it means so much to you."

Judy looked up at him, her tears beginning to increase in strength once more.

"Alright, alright. You bunnies, always so emotional." Nick considered letting a bit of his con grin creep its way to his face, but immediately imagined the consequences.

"If it really means that much to you, she's my sister."

For the first time since Judy ran from the tree, the waterworks fully ceased. She wiped the remnants with her sleeve, hoping to not have to use it again.

"Your… your sister?"

With bloodshot eyes, she glanced back up at Nick. It was now his turn to let a few tears out.

"Nick…" Judy almost brought up the incident of her home invasion earlier that night since this moment was almost the exact same; watching Nick's composure crumble before her. Almost immediately, she decided now was not the appropriate time to reveal that information.

"Nick… I… I've never seen you this upset, or upset at all." Being partners for just three months, Judy had never been given the opportunity to catch even the slightest glimpse into Nick's emotions. Suddenly, that great wall of strength and indestructible security came tumbling down.

"I… I miss her, Judy" he let out between deep breaths. "I've tried to push away the guilt, but… it just managed to put me in a stranglehold again." His head was turned from her, his ears lying flat against the back of head. It was one thing for Judy to see him shed a few tears, but it was another for her to see the deep cutting pain that had reopened an unhealed wound. He couldn't let her see the heartbreak emitting from his eyes.

"The guilt? Nick, what happened to her?" Judy put her paw on his thigh, trying her best to be comforting. He remained turned away from her, the pain only worsening.

"She's dead." His voice finally began to crack. "And I let it happen."

Judy put both her paws to her mouth, doing her best to muffle her gasp.

"It was about seven years ago that she was diagnosed with cancer. We were luckily able to catch it early enough to where treatment could have easily resolved the problem."

Refusing to look into her eyes, he let out an agonizing sigh. "But, my family couldn't afford it. Hell, my mom worked her ass off just to get me my junior scout ranger uniform. If we were to pay off some horrendous medical bills, it would have taken a miracle. And I thought I was going to be that miracle. Finnick and I worked our asses off, day and night, to try to make the money. At this point, the typical pawsicle routine wasn't going to cut it. I won't go into details about some of the things I did. To this day, Finnick and I are still ashamed of some of those nights we spent to make our money."

That last sentence sent a shiver throughout him, one that Judy easily felt as it quacked his whole being.

"But even with all the morally wrong and just utterly disturbing things we had to do, I knew it was for her. I kept telling myself that I wasn't the one of most importance at this moment in time. It was her, no matter how much Finnick and I suffered we knew it was for her. There was one night where I ended up vomiting in a back alley somewhere in the projects. And once again, Finnick was there for me. Like the brother he had always been, he assured me that our pain and suffering wasn't in vain."

With that, the faint glimmer of a smile showed itself on his muzzle. The tears had retreated just a small amount, but still came forth strong.

"In the end, we got all the money we needed. It was one of the greatest feelings I've ever experienced. I was finally able to spend a night not lying awake in my bed, worrying about the grim likeliness the future held for us. So Finnick and I both decided that we needed a little stress relief. We left my house and went to a bar. After the numerous nights spent awake in agony, I never thought alcohol could taste so sweet."

He took a pause, his tears beginning to increase in severity once more.

"When we got back home, we found the front door open. We had forgotten to lock it."

His voice cracked.

"Whoever had entered rummaged through our belongings, taking valuable things like jewelry or dishes that they thought could possibly be worth something. But worst of all, they took the money, all of it."

Nick's last amount of composer finally slipped away.

"My sister died a month later. Without her treatment, the cancer only progressed. And I was to blame." He slammed his paws, now curled up in fists, into the ground.

"Nick…"

He finally decided he could hide no longer, finally turning to gaze at her.

"Nick, I'm not going to try and convince you to stop blaming yourself."

Her paw moved up and stroked his muzzle.

"But I will try to help you move on. I know the blame will never leave your mind, but you need to learn to progress."

"Carrots… I just don't know how. Believe me, I've tried."

"Your life has gotten better. Learn to accept that. You can't go back and try to fix your past mistakes, but you can improve upon the present."

"I just miss her, every day. The pain is unbearable at times. I just don't think I will ever be able to extinguish the nagging guilt that I let her die."

"If you really want to alieve that pain the best you can, just understand that this isn't how your sister would want you to continue your life. I'm sure that wherever she is now, she sure as hell doesn't want you to see your destroy your life. She would want you to make up for your mistake by not letting your life go to waste. Make her proud."

Nick finally regained the strength to fully smile again.

"You know what, you're right. I can never fix my mistake, but I can sure as hell make up for it."

He wrapped his arms around her and placed his head over her shoulder. His tears fell on her shirt, finally letting the years of pain flow out.

"That's it, let it all out." She patted him on the back, letting him take his time as he drained out all the pain and sorrow.

After a few moments, he lifted his head off of her, letting his arms slip away.

"Alright Carrots, you've had your turn. Now I want mine." He let out a sniffle.

"Of course, I'm all ears."

"Why were you so upset by that picture?"

Her ears went limp. She let her meltdown completely flee her mind as she did her best to comfort Nick.

"I…" She bit her bottom lip. Although she had run the rehearsed dialogue of finally telling Nick her true feelings many times over, she always got the feeling that she would freeze up when the time came.

"Carrots? C'mon, you can tell me. You've become my best friend, and I'm pretty sure that I speak the same for you."

He placed a paw on her shoulder, hoping to alert her that he could be fully trusted without any consequences.

"That's the problem. You're my best friend."

His perky ears started to droop.

"But I think I may want more than that…"

His heart began to pound furiously, the insides of his ears turning a deep crimson. It finally dawned on him that her strange behavior earlier that day was finally exposing its source.

"When I saw that picture, I honestly thought that someone else had stolen you from me."

Her tears began to form again.

"I…" She was silenced as Nick put a finger to her lips.

"I have a feeling about what you're about to say, Carrots. So here's the deal; I'm going to give you two choices. I can either tell you a comforting lie that will cease all this. We can go back home, continue to be partners at work and remain good friends. Or, I can tell you the absolute truth. Just keep in mind that the second choice may not be exactly what you want to hear. But, it will be the truth that you need to hear, whether or not you'll find it pleasant. Now, which choice will it be?"

There was a silent pause. The only sound that could be heard was the gentle whisper of the cool night wind and the unstable breathing pattern emitting from Judy.

"I… I want the truth. I want the complete, honest truth."

Nick's smile had vanished, now replaced with a straight face. Judy understood that he meant business.

"I feel the same way you do. I don't want a best friend, I want more."

Judy continued to stare straight ahead in his eyes.

"Ever since the day you gave the speech at my graduation, it dawned on me. 'Look inside yourself and recognize that change starts with you' is what I believe you said. I was finally able to _fully_ realize that my life was changing. I had managed to turn myself around not just by myself, but also thanks to you. Seeing you standing up there at the podium awoke something that I've never felt before. I felt love. Not kiddy love, not bring a girl into your bed for a night and then never see her afterwards. What I felt was genuine, full-strength… love."

That's when Judy came to a realization. Her feelings that she felt for Nick were finally sorted out. The puzzle had finally been pieced together, and she could see the broad picture. What she too felt, was love.

"Oh Nick, I can't begin to explain how relieved I am that you feel the same way."

"I think I know just how to do that."

And with that, Nick stood up and dragged Judy up with him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and the other around her head. Lifting her up, he placed a kiss on her.

Judy had never felt such passion in her life. There had been the occasional high school boyfriend. But any kiss they shared lacked any sort of sense of true devotion. What she felt now was pure and full strength. There was no doubt in her mind that both she and Nick both yearned for this moment, whether or not they had been fully aware of it.

There was no slobbery kissing or over-exaggerated motions from Nick. She could tell that all the feelings he had for her were being channeled into the simple and elegant way he kissed her, in the delicate way he handled her.

As they separated, they both looked into each other's eyes. Judy had never seen such a look in his emerald gaze before. Now, she would finally be able to recognize it as a look of love, deep and heartfelt love.

* * *

 **Begin 'Heroes'**

Judy closed her eyes, her head resting on Nick's chest. The headlights of his Jeep illuminated the new couple slowly dancing in the field. He had plugged his phone into the radio, letting the music play over the speakers.

"I hope you realize that this will have to be kept secret from everyone at work, especially Chief Bogo. We both know that he doesn't allow co-workers to date. He thinks it's disruptive and distracting."

"Distracting?" Nick let out with a chuckle. "It won't be distracting. It's not like I'll want to pull you aside and plow you in the bathroom."

"Damn it, Nick. I'm serious."

"So am I."

"We could be separated as partners, or be fired to make matters worse. Seriously, we need to make sure that no one catches onto this. I really need you to control yourself."

Nick placed a paw on his heart, nailing a perfect impression of acting utterly offended.

"Me? I'm pretty sure that a horny bunny like you is at the top of list of concerns."

"Mating season isn't until spring. Fall and winter really don't make me have any urges. There is no better turnoff for me than the cold."

"Alright, fine. I guess you won't be as much of a problem as I had anticipated."

Judy kept her head on him, but looked up into his gaze.

"We also need to worry about being an inter-species couple. It's not really like they're fully accepted by everyone."

"I know we'll catch some dirty looks and possibly some threats, but I'm willing to take it. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never heart me."

"If you're strong enough to ignore all the mess this will bring upon us, then I guess I am too."

She closed her eyes again, letting Nick lead her as he slowly led them in a leisurely dance. Judy had never felt so at peace.

"I guess this means we should probably move in together" Nick breathed out calmly, interrupting the moment.

"Move in? Isn't that for couples who have been together longer? Hell, we haven't even known each other long enough to match the minimum time when a couple moves in together.

"Carrots, if you even feel half as strong about this as I do, then I'm pretty sure we far outdo almost every other couple in this city. I'm pretty sure we began far ahead of the starting line and can move in together. Besides, it'll allow you to upgrade from that hole-in-the-wall you currently reside in."

"You're right. It will be nice to finally get more than three hours of sleep with no more noisy neighbors. Those dumb bastards will bother me no more."

"And finally being able to get enough sleep should lessen that salty attitude and stop the swearing. If it doesn't help, I'll buy us a swear jar."

Judy laughed, still lost in the moment of pure bliss.

"If I move in, you'll have to help me move my stuff."

"Ah, yes. Let me lend my assistance in helping you move all your possessions that I can count on one hand. Let's see… We have your uniform, phone and charger, the outfit you're currently wearing, laptop and charger, and a pillow. It will be physically exhausting, but I think I can manage."

"You left out one thing."

"Oh really" Nick replied as he let out a laugh that Judy could feel resonate inside of him. "And just what would that be? A frozen carrot meal?"

"A stuffed fox."

"You don't need that to sleep with that thing anymore. You have the real thing."

"Well maybe we should save it. You never know; we may have kits one day."

Nick's mind raced at the thought of kits.

"Of course we would have to adopt, but I don't mind. I just want one of them to be a fox." He began fantasizing having to be a role model to his son or daughter. It sort of scared him.

"And I want one of them to be a bunny."

"Deal."

Nick placed his chin on top her head, indulging in the moment.

"And one more thing, Carrots."

"What now, Mr. Wilde" Judy asked, her eyes still closed and mouth contoured into a large smile.

"I hope your parents don't mind the idea of a fox boyfriend."


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter uses the song 'Handle with Care' by The Traveling Wilburys**

 **Chapter 4: Neurotica**

"You know, Carrots, this will make the first morning we actually go to work together."

Nick turned from the countertop and walked towards the bar where Judy sat, a cup of coffee in each paw. Both had showered bright and early and donned their uniforms. At first, Judy felt awkward not sleeping in her bed the previous night. Soon enough, that feeling fled, replaced by one of complete comfort and trust as Nick held her in their bed.

"To be honest, it's kind of a blessing" Judy spoke softly as she took a sip from her mug. She had failed to notice Nick had given her one with ELP embossed on it.

"Oh really? How so?"

Judy set her mug down on the counter.

"It was always lonely going to work, and having to wait for you at the entrance to headquarters always seemed to drag on in a teasing way. I always got so excited when I saw you turn that street corner. It meant that from that point on, I wouldn't have to fear being alone for the rest of the day."

Judy took another sip, attempting to obscure Nick's vision with her mug as a tear began to form in her eye.

"C'mon, Carrots, don't start the waterworks again. If Clawhauser sees you with even slightly red eyes when we walk in, he'll interrogate you until you crack. And we both know that he of all mammals can _not_ be trusted with a secret."

Judy put the mug down, wiping away a single tear as it escaped.

"You just have to notice every little detail, don't you" she let out with a laugh.

"I'm a cop now. It is my job after all."

Nick finished off the remaining liquid in his cup and brought it to the sink.

"Looks like we still have fifteen minutes before we need to leave. Is there anything you want to do until then?"

Judy downed the last of her coffee as well and put her mug in the sink next to Nick's.

"I wouldn't mind just sitting on the couch and sitting in silence."

She jumped up and planted a quick kiss on his lips, grabbing his tie to help lower his head.

"Or, I have a better idea."

And with that, Nick left the kitchen and paced down the hallway. After Judy heard him scooting something across the floor, she was greeted with the sight of his turntable shelf.

"Wow, isn't that quite a setup." She did her best to hide the fact that she had seen all this once before. Perhaps one night, she'll finally be able to come clean to Nick about it.

"It was actually shared between my sister and me when we were younger. Our parents gave us their record collection, and we never seemed to let the turntable take a rest. It has a lot of sentimental value to me, and I just can't part with it."

Nick finished moving the shelf underneath the television mounted to the wall. He plugged in the turntable and receiver. Running the wires from the speakers into the back of the receiver, he stood back and admired the new home for his music.

"I figured that since you'll be staying with me, there's no point in keeping myself isolated in my old media room with this thing."

Nick kneeled down and read the spines of each record, searching for one in particular.

"A-ha, here we go." He pulled one out and pulled the record from the sleeve. Resting the empty jacket on a stand next to the turntable, he gently placed the record onto the platter. The power was turned on and the platter began to spin. Lifting the tone arm up, he adjusted his angle to better see the grooves.

"Let's see, just as I remembered. First track on the first side." He carefully aimed the stylus and dropped it into the groove. Turning with an outstretched paw to Judy, the music began to play.

 **Begin 'Handle with Care'**

Nick twirled across the floor before coming to a stop in front of Judy. Smirking and outstretching a paw, he raised his eyebrows and motioned to her.

"May I have this dance?"

Judy slightly blushed, the insides of her ears turning a light pink.

"Of course. How can I say no to that face?" She got down from her bar stool and walked over to him. She gave Nick her paw and let him embrace her with an arm around her waist.

He led slowly like he had done the previous night in the field. Judy nuzzled her head into his chest, letting her mind slip away into a state of pure, uninterrupted euphoria.

"You know, Carrots. I think this may be the first time I've been able to listen to this song since my sister died without any feeling of sadness. Thank you so much…"

He placed his head down on top of her head. Judy may not have been able to see it, but Nick was smiling. It was more than just a look of happiness. It was one of freedom. No longer being kept prisoner in the shackles of his guilt, Nick was finally able to enjoy his life once more.

* * *

"Like I said on the way here, no holding hands. I don't want any sort of physical contact while we're at work. If we're going to keep this secret, then we need to avoid drawing any sort of unwanted attention to ourselves."

Nick and Judy kept their respective distance apart as they walked through the front doors of the ZPD headquarters.

"I hear you loud and clear, Carrots" Nick said with a salute.

"Please take this seriously, Nick. We really have no margin for error with this."

"Last time I checked, I wasn't the emotional bunny. If there's anyone we need to worry about, it's you." He reached behind her and pinched her tail.

"We'll be fired before lunch" Judy mumbled as they continued towards the bullpen.

"Nick! Judy! Come see this!"

Clawhauser was waving frantically from his desk, his phone in one hand.

"Ten bucks says he wants to show us some new Gazelle app" Nick whispered as they changed their course towards the desk.

"Twenty bucks says it's gossip."

"We have a deal."

As they approached the desk, Clawhauser leaned over with a childish smile plastered on his face.

"Wait until you see this new app I got!"

Shielded from the cheetah's field of view, Judy slipped Nick a twenty, doing her best to conceal her disappointment.

"It was just released this morning! It takes any Gazelle song and uses some kind of visual softwa-"

He paused and leaned further over his desk, his smile now completely vanished.

"Everything alright, Benji?" Judy's face grew slightly worried.

"You… you smell like each other…"

" _Fuck_ " Nick thought as his tail drooped.

"Oh… my… goodness!" Clawhauser retreated back behind his desk, pulling his radio out.

"Delgato!"

There was a slight pause as the only reply was static.

"What is it now, Clawhauser? I told you I don't want to hear about any new apps or any new gossip. This better be important."

"You owe me fifty dollars!"

Another pause.

"Aw, fuck… Seriously?! I got to hand it Wilde; I always thought he was going to be too spineless to ever confess. I'll bring the money when I'm on break."

With that, the radio went silent.

"You…" Nick finally came out of his momentary lapse of fear. "You made a _bet_ on us?"

"Well of course! It's not like the two of you did a top notch job of keeping it under wraps. I must say, it was quite obvious since the day you two became partners that something was eventually going to blossom."

Judy was still staring into nothingness.

"Clawhauser, just please don't let this spread around. I know it may be hard for you to have that sort of self-control. But _please_ make sure that you and Delgato are the only ones who know about this. We could get fired if the Chief found out."

"Oh please, do you _honestly_ think Chief Bogo would care that much?"

Nick slammed a paw down on the desk, pulling Judy from her trance.

"I don't care whether or not he would accept this. It is _not_ a risk I'm willing to take. Now please, keep. Your. Mouth. _Shut._ "

With that Nick led Judy away from the desk and towards the bullpen.

"Nick, I'm worried. I trust Benji, but there's still this nagging feeling that he may accidentally let something slip to the wrong person."

"I know, Carrots. We'll just have to keep an eye on him."

With that, Nick opened the door to the bullpen.

* * *

"Now that we have useless introductions out of the way, come get your new assignments when I call you and your partner."

Both Nick and Judy had zoned out while the chief handed their fellow officers new cases. Nick glanced down to her, but she remained staring straight ahead.

"So, Carrots, what are you hoping for? More missing mammals? Theft? Armed robbery?"

"I really don't care, Nick. As long as it's not murder, I'm perfectly content."

Judy kept her gaze forward, awaiting orders from the chief.

"And finally, Hopps and Wilde. Meet me in my office in five minutes. There's something we need to discuss."

Chief Bogo folded his reading glasses, slid them into his shirt pocket, and left.

"Oh no… no no no no no no no…" Judy grabbed both ears with her paws and yanked them down over her cheeks. "He knows. Nick, he knows. Oh no, what are we going to do?"

Nick titled her head to face him. His complexion had remained firm and undisturbed.

"Listen to me, Carrots. Don't jump to conclusions. He probably just wanted to speak with us in private. Now, we're going to go down to his office, and we're going to sit there while he does nothing more than hand us a new case. Do you understand me?"

His eyes had remained locked with hers the entire time.

"But, Nick wh-"

"Judy…"

There it was, the never-fail attention grabber.

"Like I said: He. Does. Not. Know."

He pulled her into a deep kiss, her minding clearing of any worries or doubts. She loved the way Nick felt no desire to over-complicate a kiss. Every last speck of his emotions for her were channeled through the simplistic and elegant way he handled her. They parted, Judy's mouth left slightly ajar.

"Now, I never want to have to do that again while we're at work. So please, don't give me any reason I may need to."

Nick hopped down from their shared chair, offering a paw to her.

"Thank you, Nick." Judy felt able to smile again, all her worries extinguished in the moment they had just shared.

"Now let's go. Buffalo-Butt isn't a creature of patience."

They left the bullpen, making sure to keep a respectable distance between them as they walked. Judy studied every face that went past, doing her best to find any subtle hint in their expression that they were aware of the new relationship. Thankfully, everyone that passed either didn't pay them attention or gave them a nod or some form of greeting.

"See, Carrots. What did I tell you? No one knows. So you can pull your carrot-printed panties out of a bunch?"

Nick slightly stumbled forward as a paw the size of his whole body patted him on the back.

"Thanks a lot, Wilde. Now I owe Clawhauser fifty bucks. I was going to buy a new pair of sunglasses with that money."

The towering figure of Delgato had snuck up behind them, leaning down to give Nick a friendly greeting that could have easily sent him sailing across the floor.

"Delgato, please don't mention that. I don't see anyone around, but you should always act as if someone's listening. You and I both know the chief will fire us if he finds out about this."

Delgato let out a chuckle, standing back up tall.

"Relax, Nick. You really think I would talk? Unlike Clawhauser, my mouth is a steel trap. Besides, if anything will give it away it would be the way you two smell. I recommend wearing cologne and perfume. The Chief would be quite suspicious if his bunny cop smelled like fox or vice versa."

With that, he separated from them and went on his way. Nick and Judy quickly ran to their office. They each ran through their desk drawers, trying to find something to mask their smell. Nick pulled a small sample tube of cologne he had gotten from a department store months ago. He used all the contents, hoping it was enough it neutralize the smell of bunny.

"Nick, I don't have anything. What am I going to do?"

Nick held up his finger and quickly left the office. He returned a short moment later with something held behind his back.

"Alright, Carrots, close your eyes."

Judy did as she was told and prepared herself. There was the sound of something being sprayed from an aerosol can, followed by the feeling of fur being slightly penetrated by a cool mist. Judy took in a deep breath.

"Really? This is your master plan?"

"What? The only thing I could think of was a can of blueberry air freshener in the bathroom. It works, doesn't it?"

With that, Nick left their office, urging Judy to quickly follow. They ran to Chief Bogo's office finding the door open, waiting for them. They entered and immediately shut it behind them.

"Right on time" Bogo resonated while keeping his head down. Even when talking at a low volume, his booming voice was enough to vibrate the desk and possibly shatter windows.

"Please sit down while I pull your new case file."

Nick and Judy shared the large chair in front of his desk. Even though Judy had asked the Chief in the past to buy chairs meant for smaller mammals, it had gone unnoticed. So there she sat, engulfed in the chair meant for an animal ten times her size.

"Here we go." Chief Bogo walked back to the desk from his filing cabinet, a manila folder in hand.

"We're having a large arson problem. So far, we've had seven reported incidences. Luckily, there has yet to be any death or major injury as a result. All seven crime scenes share the same common characteristic; the source of the fire was determined to be a gas leak from backup generators on the property."

"Isn't it possible there was a defective part on these generators that could have caused a gas leak? Or maybe a fault that caused them to fail upon starting?" Nick had become intrigued.

"That's the first thing we considered, Wilde. But all accidents came back showing that the generators had not been started. Not to mention that not a single one was even manufactured by the same company. So the idea of a common design flaw was scrapped right off the bat. Also, it seems that all fires managed to spread across the property. The only problem with the thought that spilled gasoline led the flames across the property is that it would take far more gasoline than their tanks held to spread all the way to a house or barn."

Judy's ears perked up.

"Chief?"

"Yes, Hopps?"

"Did… did you mention barns? Last I checked, there were no barns in Zootopia."

Chief Bogo handed the file over to her.

"That's why I'm handing the case over to you, Hopps. All of these cases are in Bunny Burrow."

"Bunny Burrow? But Chief, that's not within our jurisdiction."

Chief Bogo rubbed his temples.

"Well the police department there has been turning up nothing but dead ends the past week and a half. They're worried that by the time they finally get a lead, another three properties will be burned to a crisp. So they've asked us to put our top officers in charge of the investigation."

Nick and Judy looked at each other with utter astonishment.

"Us? You think we're your top officers?" Judy cocked an eyebrow, confusion burning in her eyes.

"Chief", Nick let out with a tone of shock to his voice, "There are many other officers here that have been part of the force for as long as I've been alive. You really think we're your best officers?"

"Yes, I do, Wilde. Don't think I haven't taken notice of the drive and passion that both of you share for your jobs. I've gone home at night, still seeing the light on in your office. Never in my career as Chief have I seen two partners work so efficiently together. I admire that you don't let your feelings cloud your judgement or distract you from a task at hand."

" _Oh, if only you knew what went on outside of work"_ Nick thought.

Judy continued to press questions. "But Chief, if we're your best officers, isn't there any other major crime that you need to keep us in the city for?"

Bogo suppressed a smile from gracing his muzzle. "I figured you two needed some sort of break. This is a case away from the overwhelming nature of this city in a place that desperately needs your help."

Getting up from his chair, he walked over to the window and stared out over the law and order he kept in balance.

"But most importantly, Hopps, I gave this to you because it hits close to home. I have faith that you can use that as driving encouragement without letting it rush you to conclusions. Can I trust you and Officer Wilde to handle this?"

"Yes sir" they both let out in unison.

"That's what I had hoped to hear. Anticipating that you would accept, I've already booked your train tickets. Your train leaves the station at noon. That should give you plenty time to pack. Dismissed."

Nick and Judy turned to each other, both showing signs of relief. They hopped down from the chair and opened the door.

"Hopps…"

"Yes Chief?"

"Don't let me down."

"Yes sir."

With a faint smile pulling at her lips, Judy shut the door and followed Nick down the hallway towards the lobby.

* * *

"When I told you I hoped your parents didn't mind you having a fox boyfriend, I didn't consider that I would have only a few hours to come up with how I would break it to them."

They had stopped by Judy's apartment on the way home to retrieve her belongings. As she gathered her clothes and other items, Nick sat on her bed, deep in thought. He had been running over the seemingly infinite amount of possibilities he could screw up his introduction to Judy's parents. One slip, and the fragile house of cards would come crashing down.

"I know we weren't expecting to introduce you to them so soon, but this seems like the perfect opportunity. If we're going to be staying in Bunny Burrow for a few weeks, I at least want to have the comfort of home instead of a hotel room."

Nick grumbled and planted his face into his paws.

"Why can't we just tell that we're partners. You know, tell them the _truth_."

"That wouldn't be the full truth, Nick. If we don't come clean to my dad from the beginning, you'll wake up with a shotgun pointed up your nose in the middle of the night. He'll find out, one way or another."

"I just can't figure out how to break it to your parents. It seems that every time I figure out the perfect dialogue, I find a flaw."

"Nick, don't overthink this" Judy pleaded, walking over with her suitcase now fully packed.

"I keep telling myself the same thing, Carrots. But I just can't shake this fear that I'll screw this up."

Judy pulled him into a deep embrace. "Honey, don't worry. You of all mammals know how to win strangers onto your side."

"It's one thing selling pawsicles to strangers. We're talking about trying to talk your parents into being accepting of a fox. Last I checked, your dad isn't exactly keen about my species."

"Oh come on, Nick. Stop being so hard on yourself. So my father is a little… protective."

"Protective? Carrots, he tried to give you a fox taser. If that's protective, then I would just _love_ to see his maniacal side."

"Is she in there with that fox?"

"Go, Judy! We knew you always had a taste for fox meat!"

Nick laughed and turned towards the wall. "You two never miss an opportunity to harass her, do you?"

"We haven't missed one yet!"

"C'mon, Nick. The train leaves in an hour and a half. Don't forget we still have to go back to your place so you can pack."

"Alright, Carrots. I just need to take a break from thinking about this. Maybe a little pause will help me think straighter."

"That's my Nick" Judy jumped up and placed a kiss on his nose.

With his mood starting to brighten again, Nick followed her out in the hallway. As she took his paw and led him to the stairwell, he took a glance behind him. One neighbor was peering around the door frame, the other out in the hallway making thrusting motions.

"Don't miss out on this opportunity, Mr. Wilde!"

Nick gave his best con-man grin. Winking, he pointed finger guns at them and fired off a few shots.

"Damn it, Nick. Save it! We are _not_ doing that with my parents in the house."

"What did I say about that potty mouth?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: One More Red Nightmare**

"You still awake Carrots?"

Judy had fallen asleep on the train, barely able to hold her head up the second they had sat down. Her mouth hung slightly ajar and drool began to gather at the corner of her mouth. Her eyes had fallen down and Nick was entertaining himself by petting their soft fur.

"I'll take that as a no." Nick wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. Still deep in her slumber, Judy nuzzled her head into his chest. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling herself as deep into his body as she could. Her nose twitched once as she unconsciously inhaled the scent of her fox.

"That's it Carrots, get comfy. It's going to be a long train ride."

Nick bent his head down and planted a kiss on the top of her head. Her mouth closed and pulled into a smile. She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out in a relieved sigh.

"Sweet dreams, my one true love."

He looked up from staring at his girlfriend to see an elderly sheep had stopped in the walkway.

"Disgusting. How dare you take advantage of such an innocent prey animal." She shuffled away, her nose up in disgust.

"Hey granny."

She stopped and turned to look back at Nick.

"It's not my fault. I mean c'mon. Can you blame me? All I wanted" He put his paw down and grabbed Judy's rump "Was a nice piece of carrot cake." He snapped his jaws together, making sure that the _click_ they made was as loud as possible.

The sheep stood motionless momentarily before quickly retreating towards her seat.

"Disgusting!"

Pleased with his 'professional' handling of the situation, Nick turned his attention out the window. There was no point in him staying awake if he had no one to talk to. He used his free arm to prop his head up. Staring out the window, he felt the grip of sleep slowly begin to overcome him.

* * *

"Nick?"

Judy ducked behind the cover of a wooden crate. The sounds of gun fire bounced around the walls of the warehouse. They now bombarded her from every direction, causing Judy to lose her bearings.

"Nick, please let me know where you are!" Her eye caught the momentary flash of light reflecting from his badge. He had ducked behind another crate a few yards away. She had never seen this look in his eyes. Soon, it dawned on her that it was terror. It was the terror of very likely standing on the threshold of death's door.

"Come out you two. I just want to play." The voice was booming and was only made even more threatening by the way it echoed. Shells fell onto the floor, echoing with an unnerving _clink_.

"All three of us know that this isn't going to end in your favor." His voice spook with a hint of humor, as if he got some kind of sick pleasure torturing them.

The sound of boots slapping on the ground slowly began to proceed towards them.

"We are left with two options. You can surrender, and I may consider sparing your miserable lives. Or, you can give a half-assed effort to still try and fight." His voice gained an even more humorous tone to it.

Another magazine was loaded into his gun.

"But we all know that that won't play out well in the end. I would just _hate_ to see the ZPD's finest officers leave here in body bags."

Judy stole another glance at Nick, trying to get any sort of signal from him on what to do. He looked at his partner and mouthed three words.

" _I love you."_ She watched as a tear rolled down from his emerald eye and fell from his cheek. It landed on his badge and then fell onto his uniform.

Nick ran out from behind his cover and fired all the shots left in his magazine. After the echo of the shots ceased, there was a large _smack_. The looming figure dropped to the ground, striking down hard on the pavement. With a new magazine loaded in his weapon, Nick slowly walked over, keeping the weapon locked on the fallen mass.

"I… I think he's dead Carrots." Nick slowly lowered the weapon. Staring down at the neutralized threat, Nick felt his anger begin to boil. An angry scowl soon spread across his muzzle. He lifted a leg and gave a hard kick in the animal's nose. He continued, unrelentingly letting his fleet fly and barrage the fallen attacker.

"Nick, stop! That's enough!" Judy ran from behind her cover. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him back. He turned away, tears streaming down his face. His composure collapsed, leaving him a hollow husk of a strong, unbreaking fox.

"I… I couldn't bear the thought of losing you Judy… He almost took you from me!" Nick embraced her, pulling her close into his body. Judy's nose twitched, smelling the scent of fear beginning to dissipate from him.

"Let it out Nick. There's nothing left to fear." Judy kept her lock on him strong, the only sound echoing through the warehouse now being the sobs and cries Nick howled out. She let him vent out, deciding it was best for all this to leave his sytem. After his cries finally died down, Judy let go.

"All done?"

"Yes" Nick chocked out with a sniffle.

"I need backup to report to the main distribution warehouse in the business district. The suspect has been neutralized and poses no other threat."

 _BANG!_

Judy's ears perked up as a singled shot emanated throughout the facility.

"Shit, there must have been someone on the catwalk. Nick, go close up the exits!"

Judy sprinted towards the door they had entered from. When she didn't hear Nick doing the same, she turned back to face him. His eyes were wide, his mouth open slightly as a breath wheezed its way out. A crimson patch began to blossom on the chest of his uniform. It grew larger as Nick slowly raised a paw and wiped at it.

"C-… Carrots…" He collapsed.

"NICK!" Judy bolted back as his frame buckled and slammed onto the concrete. "Dispatch, I need a bus here immediately! Officer Wilde is down!" She dropped her radio and let it hang from the cord attached to her belt.

"We have a bus coming for you Nick! Just hold in there!" Her eyes overflowed and her voice cracked with agony.

Nick lifted a paw, his energy quickly fleeing his body. It stroked Judy's ears and went around to touch her wet cheeks. He moved his paw back and pushed her head down to him. He embraced her in a kiss, using all the energy he had left. As they parted, Judy saw the life quickly fleeing from his eyes.

"I love you Judy. Always remember that." His body went limp, his paw falling away from her face.

* * *

Judy awoke with a startle, her legs kicking frantically as she pushed herself up from her previously curled position. As her vision came back into focus, she made out that she was still on the train, and not in some remote warehouse as Nick died in her arms.

"Nick?" He was gone. Judy turned frantically, only to find the surrounding seats empty. Turning out the window, she took notice that they were, at most, ten minutes from their stop.

"Well, well, well, look who decided to wake up." Nick had returned, each paw holding a cup. "I was hoping you wouldn't wake up while I was gone. Juice?"

Judy took the cup in her outstretched paw, plastering on a fake smile.

"Thanks. I was wondering where you had gone." She took a sip. Just as she had expected, it did absolutely nothing to calm her nerves.

Nick sat back down next to her and pulled her close. "Are you excited to be back home?"

"Oh yeah, very much." Judy did her best to hide the pain that still brewed inside her. All she could think about was Nick dying in her arms. The smell of blood seemed all too real.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Model Man**

"I thought you said they would be picking us from the station." Nick finished off the remnants of his drink and tossed the cup into a nearby trash can.

"I did and they will. Just give them a little time. My dad doesn't have the best time management. He can be late sometimes."

"Late? Carrots, I would call this 'completely escaped his mind'."

"Well there's not really much else I can do. Neither of them answered their phones. Not to mention I really don't want to shell out the money for a taxi or zoober driver."

Nick gave her cheek a playful tug. "Oh, come now. How expensive could that really be?"

"Considering just how far I live from the station, I'd say around $100."

"I stand corrected." He let go of her cheek, resting his arms on his knees.

Nick and Judy had perched themselves on the curb outside the station, constantly scanning the horizon for the Hopps family truck. After arriving at the station for 2:00, the pair had been sitting out front for almost three hours.

"I can't take it anymore Carrots. We didn't get a chance to eat lunch and I'm starving. I'm going to grab something from inside."

"There's only a carrot cart inside" she laughed as Nick got up and walked towards the entrance.

"Hey, it's better than nothing." He shrugged his shoulders and slightly cocked his head.

"But what if they show up while you're in there?"

"Then they wait for me. It only seems justified that they get a taste of their own medicine." With his conman grin on, Nick strolled back through the front doors of the station. Judy turned back to face the service road leading to the parking lot. Now that she had been left alone with her thoughts, the first thing her mind went back to was the nightmare she had had on the train.

"I love you Judy. Always remember that." Nick's dying words still rang in her ears. The look in his eyes, the smell of his blood, the feeling of his uniform being soaked with the crimson fluid of life, it all seemed so real. What was she going to do if Nick actually did die? There would be no way she could continue on with her life. They'd been dating for less than 24 hours, but Judy already had the feeling that they were created solely for one another. Without her partner, she would no longer be able to focus on her job. She would be thrown into a constant state of lowliness and despair. There would be no way out but to-

"No, stop it." She snapped herself out of thought. "You're letting your thoughts get the best of you. Just calm down and relax."

She pulled out her phone and smiled as her screen powered on. Her wallpaper was a picture she had taken of Nick and her. Never really overthinking it at the time, Judy had accepted Nick's request for a movie night. Judy remembered the two of them getting caught in a downpour on the way to the theater and taking shelter under an awning at a nearby department store. Seizing the opportunity, Judy grabbed Nick next to her and snapped the picture. The jeans and button-up shirt she'd been wearing had been soaked. Nick hadn't been any better off. His green Hawaiian shirt and khaki pants were just as drenched. But what caught Judy's attention most was his expression. Never taking too much notice of it before, she recognized a look in Nick's eyes as he looked down at her. If she had tried to remember it a few days ago, her mind would have drawn a blank. Now, she was able to easily tell what it was. It was the same look he gave her the night they danced in the field. Nick's eyes spoke of comfort, security and protection. Nick had noticed his feelings for her that long ago, doing an exceptional job of keeping it all hidden.

 _Beep beep_

Judy glanced up to see her family's truck had stopped in front of her.

"Hey Jude the Dude!" Stu Hopps closed the driver side door and walked around to greet his daughter.

"Dad!" Judy jumped from her spot on the curb and ran to her father. She embraced him as tightly as she could.

"Loosen your stranglehold! Remember, I'm not getting any younger!"

"Sorry dad." Judy released him, the smile on her face not growing any weaker.

"They must put you through some intense training to hurt your father like that!"

"Mom!" Bonnie had exited the truck, her arms outstretched. Judy threw herself into thems and kissed her mom on the cheek. After a moment of reunion, Bonnie let go.

"So Judy, where is this partner you were telling us about?"

"Oh, he went inside to grab something to eat while we were waiting. He got a little impacient."

"Impacient" Bonnies asked as confusion graced her face. "Honey, we're right on time. You told us to get here at five, so we did."

"Five? What, no mom. I said to be here for two."

Bonnie reached into her pocket and retrieved her cell phone. She unlocked it and handed it to Judy. "Your text message said five."

Judy's ears fell flat as she came to the sudden realization that she hadn't proofread her message before she sent it.

"Oh man, Nick is going to kill me."

"I wouldn't count on it Carrots."

Judy startled to find Nick had walked up behind them. They had been too preoccupied with their greetings to take notice of the fox standing behind them.

"Don't do that! You know I startle easily" Judy yelled as she jokingly punched his arm.

"Well don't be rude now, Judy. Introduce me" Nick reached behind her and pinched her tail, keeping the action out of Stu and Bonnie's view.

"Mom, dad, this is my partner, Nick Wilde." She nudged him in the side, urging him to move forward.

"It's a pleasure." Nick outstretched his paw to Stu who had frozen. After a few seconds, Stu pulled himself from his thoughts. He put his paw out, although Nick could tell he slightly hesitated, and took Nick's. For a bunny smaller than Nick, he sure had one hell of a grip.

"Nice to meet you, Nick." Stu let go of Nick's paw and pulled his wife towards him. "And this is my wife, Bonnie."

Bonnie also slightly hesitated to give Nick her paw. He decided it was best to not react to their obvious fear of him.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Hopps."

"And same to you." Nick also forced himself to not show any reaction as she quickly retracted her hand.

"Well it's best we get going. I hope you don't mind riding in the bed of the truck Nick. I doubt you'll be able to squeeze into the cab." Stu was obviously anxious to start the truck and head back home.

"Oh no I don't mind." Nick grabbed his and Judy's baggage and set it in the back of the truck.

"I'll sit with him. I think he'll enjoy the company." Judy cast him a loving smile when her parents had turned back to enter the vehicle. Nick folded down the tailgate and climbed in. He gave Judy his paw and pulled her up.

"Oh my, aren't we a big strong man."

"Oh yes Carrots. My stick arms must sure be a turn on for you." He pulled the tailgate closed, sitting back as the truck turned away. Judy sat next to him, keeping her distance in case one of her parents stole a glance in the rearview mirror.

The truck rattled with a start and drove out the parking lot.

"So tell me Carrots, am I the only one who noticed how your parents kind of hesitated when I went to shake their paws?"

Judy sighed, hoping that Nick hadn't taken notice like she had.

"No, I saw too Nick."

"I thought you said they were business partners with a fox. You made it sound like they were cool with my species."

"I said they were cool with one fox. Don't think that they didn't act that way towards Gideon in the beginning. You should actually consider yourself lucky. When Gideon first approached my dad about a possible partnership, my dad tased him. We're lucky that there isn't a restraining order against us or that my dad wasn't charged with assault."

"Oh my god…"

"I know, it's not exactly the first impression I wanted you to have of them."

"No, Judy. I mean the view…"

The truck had crossed the top of a hill, now entering the countryside where farms speckled the expanse of Bunny Burrow. Fall had brought a slight chill to the air, along with a change of scenery. The trees had changed from pure green to a breathtaking pallet of browns, red, oranges and yellows. Nick stared in amazement as the truck drove past a corn field. He watched as the green stocks sped by in a blur. As the sun set in the distance, it bathed the farms in a slight yellow hue.

"I've never seen anything like this!" Nick had stuck over the side of the truck, opening his mouth and closing his eyes. His ears were forced back by the wind. Judy took notice of just how vibrantly orange is fur had become in the setting sun. She admired the way the wind rushed through it, causing small patches to poof up.

"You never get used to it" Judy let out with smile.

The truck continued on, doing a poor job of absorbing any blemish in the road it hit. After a few more minutes, Stu turned the truck down a dirt road. After coming to a stop, Nick opened the tailgate and helped Judy out. He grabbed their bags and carried them. Stu and Bonnie walked ahead of them to the front door, purposefully avoiding any sort of contact with Nick.

"I really don't think they're warming up to me Carrots" Nick whispered, leaning down to Judy.

"Just give them time. They'll warm up eventually. When 'eventually' is, that's debatable. Just keep in mind that so far, you've done an excellent. You've shown that you're the model example of a respectable mammal."

Judy grabbed his paw and gave it a quick squeeze before letting go. "Just ease up. If there's any doubt in your mind that it's not the right time to break the news, hold off. Your chance will come eventually."

They had reached the front door, which Stu opened and held open for them. As Nick walked past, he gave Stu a nod of thanks. Stu gave a smile in return, but Nick could tell that it was only done out avoiding suspicion. They had walked into a wide and long foyer, which Nick considered large even by bunny standards.

"This is quite some place you have here. I just expected it to have more rooms than what I saw walking in, considering there supposed to be some 275 siblings running around."

Bonnie turned to Nick, her smile a little less forced than her husband's. "Well some have moved out to start families of their own or gone off to college. But that still leaves us with probably 223 still living here. It may not appear like it on the surface, but there's a lot more underground. Six more levels to be exact."

Nick laughed, imagining the maze of tunnels winding underneath his feet. "It must be interesting when they fight over who gets the top floor rooms with natural sunlight."

"It's in our nature to burrow underground. So there's really not that much commotion over it." Nick noticed that Bonnie had seemed to lighten up just a tad. However, it was still only drop taken from the full bucket.

"Well I hope I don't sound rude, but I prefer to wake up with the sunlight beating into my room."

"Oh not at all. You'll be staying in the guest room on the top floor. It's down the hallway to your left, first door on the left."

"Thank you" Nick said as he carried his bags to the room. When he opened the door, he was greeted with the sight of a bed that would actually fit him. He set down his suitcase and flung himself onto it. Letting out a sigh of relief, he closed his eyes.

"Surprised by the bed?" Judy had appeared in the doorway, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yes, actually. Why do your parents keep such a large bed in here? It's enough to fit four bunnies comfortably."

"They sometimes have business partners spend the night. Gideon has spent the night once before, along with a few other mammals his size."

"Well there is plenty of room for both us." Nick's conman grin had returned as he scooched over and patted the spot next to him.

"I don't think so." Judy waved a finger and donned a sly smile. "As far as my parents are still concerned, we're nothing more than work partners. I don't think they would appreciate accidentally opening the door and find me butt-naked with a fox." She took a pause and stroked her chin. "Unless… you _want_ to meet my dad's shotgun."

"I told you Carrots, I have a plan. Just give me a little time to work the Wilde charm."

Judy walked over to the bed and pulled him into a kiss, her hand running down his chest and stomach. Nick's eyes fluttered closed, returning the passion Judy gave. He was taken aback as Judy grabbed the waistline of his pants and pulled it away from his fur. She released and let it snap back against him. Parting their lips, she ran her paw along his thigh.

"Just keep in mind, Nick, the quicker you get this done, the quicker I get to join you in this bed."

With that, Judy stood up and walked towards the door. "Now come on. It's time for dinner."

Nick stood up and chased after her. "What was it you said when we left your apartment this morning? Oh yes, that's right. 'We're not doing that with my parents in the house' I believe it was."

Judy turned around, walking backwards as she faced Nick. "I added on that it would not happen while my parents were in the house. There's a farmer's market every Saturday. My parents take everyone to it."

Nick caught on and chuckled. "I'll make sure to spill the beans by then."

"And don't forget, there's more delectable carrots for you here than what they have at the farmer's market."

"You really are a horny little bunny."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Indiscipline**

"So Nick," Bonnie asked she passed a bowl of mashed potatoes to her husband, "What made you want to become a police officer? I don't think anyone just wakes up one day and makes that decision out of the blue."

Nick poured himself some more tea and gave her a smile. He took notice that Bonnie was now at least making eye contact with him when they spoke. Perhaps they were starting to warm up a little bit.

"Well Mrs. Hopps, it was actually your daughter who drove me to the decision."

"Judy did? Well how did you two even meet to begin with?" Stu had put down his fork and focused all attention on Nick.

"Well it was when she was working on the Night Howler case."

"Night Howler case? I remember seeing Judy on the television, but there wasn't your picture or even a mention of your name."

"I'm not exactly surprised. I tried to keep myself hidden from the public eye or any media attention at the time. Anyway, she came to me and asked for my help solving the case." Nick took a sip from his glass. "Well, I shouldn't say 'asked'. It was more of a forceful nature."

Bonnie turned to her daughter. "Judith Laverne Hopps,"

"Laverne?" Nick did his best to bite his tongue and suppress his laughter.

"You twisted this poor mammal's arm to get his help?! I thought we raised you better than this!"

Judy ears shot down flat against her back. "Mom, just let me expl-"

Nick held up as his paw in front of her face. "I got this, Carrots."

He turned to face Stu and Bonnie, who were now eagerly awaiting an explanation.

"I'm not going to lie to you. Judy did force me into helping her."

Bonnie cast Judy an irritated glance.

" _But_ , she did it because she wanted to help me. I wasn't exactly living the best life I could be at that moment in time. I was a conman. There's nothing I can really say to ease your minds about that. It wasn't exactly a proud living, but it was a living, nonetheless. I was grateful that I was able to have a roof over my head. Not to mention it was quite a nice roof."

Nick paused and finished off his drink before continuing. He needed to rethink what he was going to say next.

"I had come to realize something after Carr-, Judy, asked me to join the force. I had a gained a friend. I'm not talking about a business partner, like my friend, Finnick, who helped me pull off hustles. I mean a friend like Judy."

He turned his head to Judy and gave her a smile.

"I had never really had anyone besides my mother who cared so much about where my life was headed. My father passed away when I was four. He was killed by a drunk driver coming home from work. They blew through the red light and caught the back of his car. He lost control and ended up driving into the canal that ran parallel to the street. The car went in and flipped over in the water. The force of the impact knocked him unconscious, and he drowned. My mother ended up having to take on his role in the family as well as maintaining her own. It was difficult at times, but we managed to push through it."

Nick paused, deciding it was best to leave out his sister. He seemed to be giving Stu and Bonnie enough of a shock as it was. That would have to be a story for another time.

"When I moved out, I found that I was on my own. Sure, I would still call my mother or visit occasionally. But I still felt that sense of being alone. I thought that I was going to wander around the rest of my life without a true friend. That was until Jud handed me the form to join the ZPD. She showed me that I could be more than I what I was. She showed me that I could accomplish so much, even if some mammals saw me as nothing more than a fox. For the first time since I moved out of my mother's house, I felt that I had someone in my life who actually cared about me. Judy has become the greatest friend a fox, or any mammal, could ever ask for."

With his smile only growing stronger, he gave Judy a nod. She returned it the smile, and turned to her parents. Both were speechless.

"I think I broke them" Nick whispered as he leaned over to Judy.

Bonnie snapped out of her trance "Nick… that's so touching."

Nick cocked an eyebrow and gave her a confused glance.

"Touching? You're the first mammal to ever not lecture me about my past. Don't you think that what I did was… wrong?"

Bonnie put her paw on her husband's and brought him back to reality. "Well of course we're not going to argue that some of the things you may have done were wrong. But we're not the type to hold a mammal's past mistakes on them."

Stu cleared his throat. "That's right. We used to be somewhat fearful of foxes."

Judy gave him the stink eye.

"Fine, a little more than 'somewhat'. The point is, Judy helped us learn to move past our irrational fears. When she told us a few months ago that she was getting a fox partner, Bonnie and I became hysterical. I'm not proud to say it, but Bonnie and I came close to sending her a fox taser in the mail."

"And I thought the fox repellant was bad" Nick chuckled.

Stu's ears drooped a little bit with shame. "Nonetheless, Judy showed us the error of our ways. She really helped us see that a fear of foxes was actually really silly. Now look at us. One of our greatest business partners is actually a fox."

Bonnie grabbed his paw again and gave it a squeeze.

"Well now, since we're done eating dinner, how about I take us on a tour of the farm?" Stu stood up and grabbed his and Bonnie's plates and glasses. After the two of them entered the kitchen adjacent to the dining room, Judy grabbed Nick's arm and yanked him down to her level. She gave him a quick kiss.

"That was great! You really seemed to win them over! At this rate, you'll be able to tell them about us in no time!"

Nick peered into the kitchen, making sure Stu and Bonnie were still out of ear's range.

"It was definitely a step in the right direction. Your mom seems to have lightened up a lot. But your dad still seems hesitant."

"What makes you say that?"

"He didn't make eye contact with me when he talked. I'm starting to think that coming clean to them about being a hustler may not have been such a good idea."

"Oh, come on Nick. You heard my mom. She said they learned the error of their ways."

Nick stood up and grabbed the remaining dishes on the table.

"That's just the problem Carrots. She spoke for both them. I'm not sure if your father feels the exact same way. There may still be just a little bit of fox fear in there. And I think I may have dug it back up."

* * *

With the sun now fully gone, the night sky loomed over the Hopps farm. Stu had brought his tractor around from the side of their barn, a trailer full of straw hitched to the back.

"What a romantic way to travel" Nick whispered to Judy.

"There's nothing romantic about getting straw in every irritating place possible." Judy motioned for Nick to follow her. As they climbed in the back, Bonnie followed. All three sat down as Stu pulled off with a jolt. After getting herself comfortable, she struck up a conversation.

"So, are you allowed to tell me anything regarding this case? Or is this supposed to all be kept confidential?"

With Nick still staring in astonishment over the seemingly endless rows of crops, Judy answered.

"All we can tell you is the same thing that's been in the newspapers. Properties have burned and all seemed to have started from generators located there. Chief Bogo thinks they're all linked somehow, so that's why he sent us out here. Tomorrow, Nick and I are going to the Bunny Burrow Police Department to talk to a few witnesses."

"What's the point in questioning them again? If they had seen anything, they would have said something already."

"Nick's convinced that there could be information hiding away in their memories. He's hoping he can jog their mind and make them remember something. Even if it gives us just a tiny bit of new information, it'll be better than nothing."

Bonnie nodded and cast her gaze over to Nick. He was still watching the crops go by, completely lost in his own thoughts.

"Is Nick alright? I've never seen someone so entranced by the farm."

Judy laughed. "To be honest, this may be the first time he's ever left the city."

Bonny put a paw over her mouth to silence her astonishment. "First time? He's really spent his entire life walking around that concrete jungle?"

"He didn't really know what else to do. Spending most of his childhood there, it was all he really knew."

Judy beckoned for her mother to lean over. "It also sounds like I got to him just in time. He told me he called his mother a few weeks ago. She said she hadn't heard him this happy in years."

Bonnie put a paw on her daughter's knee. "Well it sounds to me like you really improved his mental health. I swear, it's like every mammal you come in contact with has their life improved."

"I do my best."

"Carrots!" Nick had turned to face her. "I smell blueberries! Can we please go pick some?"

Bonnie yelled for Stu to stop the tractor. As it came to a halt, Stu hopped down and brought a bucket with him. Nick anxiously grabbed it and took off into the crops.

"He's a good partner, but sometimes I swear he's nothing more than a child." Judy took off after him.

She found Nick stopped in front of a row of bushes, stuffing more blueberries in his face than he put in the bucket.

"I forgot just how good these are!" His muzzle had been slightly stained as he continued to shove more in.

"I'll make sure to have mom and dad send us some every so often." Judy began to pluck some from the bush and drop them into the pail. After a few minutes of gathering, with Judy being the one who picked most of them as Nick ate, the bucket was full. Nick shoved a few more in his mouth and put the remainders in his shirt pocket.

"Alright Carrots, let's get back to our ride. I want to go back to the house and bake these into a pie." As Nick began to walk away, he felt Judy grab ahold of his shirt.

"Actually, I have a better idea." She took the bucket from his paw, set it down, and pulled him by the arm into the bushes.

"Where are you taking us, Carrots" Nick asked with a grin of pleasure growing on his muzzle.

"You'll see. Just be patient."

She ran with Nick, pushing aside any stalks in her path. As they ran, Nick could smell something emitting from Judy. It wasn't a scent he had known before, but its identifier was soon to be revealed. Soon, they broke through into a clearing in the sea of plants. The clearing was no bigger than the bed in the guest room. It was carpeted with years of dead crops, their yellowed and dried husks completely obscuring any view of the earth beneath.

"How did you know this was out here?"

"This is where all my siblings take their new romantic interests. After years of bunnies laying down on the top the crops, they refused to grow. I will admit, the dead plants may not be the most romantic place for a date, but it's better than lying in the dirt."

Nick grabbed her arm and twirled her around. He looked them both in a kiss. Once again, Judy felt Nick push all his passion into her through their embrace. She ran her paws along his arms, rubbing the flannel shirt. In return, Nick reached behind her and gave her tail a pinch. Her squeal was muffled by their loving embrace as Nick pulled them down onto the ground.

They parted lips, staring lovingly into each other's eyes. "You're getting rather impatient, aren't you" Judy asked as she stroked under his chin.

"You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do this."

"Oh really? And just how long would that be?" Judy ran a finger under his chin and down to the collar of his shirt. She opened one button and pulled the top of his collar open.

"Being honest, I'd say maybe two weeks into being partners."

"Two weeks?! Doesn't that seem a lit-"

Nick cut her off as he pulled her into another kiss. Judy lost her train of thought as Nick ran his paws down her back. She felt Nick growing harder underneath her, doing his best to restrain his lust. Judy undid the other buttons on his shirt, finally pulling it fully open. She admired the beige fur that covered his chest and stomach. Running her paws through his fur, she felt Nick tremble as he let out a soft moan.

Nick reached under her shirt, feeling the soft fur that covered her stomach. Judy breathed in deeply as she buried her head into his shoulder. Nick continued to run his paws over her, rolling up her shirt in the process. He moved further up, now beginning to grope at her chest. This sudden motion caused Judy to muffle her screams of pleasure by slightly biting down on Nick's shoulder.

"You know Carrots," Nick let out as they parted for breath, "This would be a lot more pleasurable on my end if you weren't biting into my shoulder."

Judy lifted her head up "I'm so sorry! I just got completely lost in your touch."

Nick laughed, Judy feeling his stomach roll as he did. "I'll need some form of compensation for that."

Judy moved her paws from Nick's paw and down to the waistband of his pants. Slowly, she undid his belt, making sure to maintain eye contact with him. With his belt undone, she ran a finger of his stomach. She felt him tremble, this time causing his member to throb. She used one paw to begin undoing the button, using the other to gently caress Nick's member through the thick fabric of his jeans.

"Will this do for your compensation?"

Without speaking, Nick just nodded his head and squeezed his eyes tight. She felt him quiver under her touch, letting his mind begin to slip into absolute bliss. Judy leaned over and kissed him again she began to undo his zipper. His breathing increased rapidly as Judy slipped her paw into his pants. She ran her paw up and down his length and used her free one to stroke his chest. Nick emitted a few moans, strengthening his grip on Judy's breast as she worked him through his boxers.

"Judy, Nick! Come on, we should be heading back now!" The distant call of Bonnie Hopps brought both them back into reality. Nick's eyes fluttered open as his mind left the deep pleasure he had fallen into.

"I guess this will have to be continued another time." Judy flicked his nose as she got off from on top of him. She rolled her shirt back down and fixed her fur.

"Damn it, so close." Nick stood up and began to close his pants again. A look of disappointment was beginning to form on his face. As he rebuttoned his shirt, Judy walked over.

"Don't be so upset. Just think of it as a sample. You'll have the full package soon enough." Judy grabbed his crotch, causing Nick to let out a soft yip. "You'll have this whole package, all. To. Your. Self." She let go and walked back in the direction of the tractor.

Nick smoothed his fur back down and chased after her. "You know, Carrots, you grabbing me back there didn't exactly help me clam back down. It's not exactly comfortable walking with your hard-on being constricted by tight jeans."

Judy grabbed his paw and placed it upon her breast as they walked. "And I hope it doesn't die down any time soon."

"You are such a fucking tease."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Facts of Life**

With freshly ironed uniforms on, Nick and Judy made their way to the front doors of the Bunny Burrow Police Department. Nature had blessed them with another day of crisp fall weather. The drive over to the station had been silent, each one deep in their own thoughts. While Nick had been running over his questioning tactics, Judy thought back to the night before.

Although they had only slept in each other's presence for one night, Judy had felt uncomfortable without him. After a few hours of lying in bed, she finally was able to fall asleep. However, she was greeted with the same image from the nightmare on the train. She could feel the blood soaking into Nick's clothes, feeling his strength flee while life slowly leaked out of him. It all ended the same way it had the first time, with the smell of Nick's blood filling her nostrils.

After startling awake, she suppressed her cries into her pillow until she was able to sleep again. When she went to join Nick and her parents for breakfast, all she could smell was his blood. While Bonnie talked to Nick about how each level below had a kitchen and dining hall for the kids to eat in, Judy just stared out the window. For the first time in her life, she found no calm looking out over the farm. All she felt was an aching sadness, and the feeling of Nick's blood dripping between her fingers. No matter how much she tried to suppress the nightmare, it always managed to crawl back out and terrorize her.

"Hey Carrots, everything alright? You seem… bothered." Judy pulled herself from her thoughts to find Nick staring at her. Even hidden behind his sunglasses, Judy could tell his eyes were deep with worry.

"Yeah, I'm alright." She avoided Nick's gaze,

He placed a paw on her shoulder, pausing their movement. He bent his knees, lowering himself to her level.

"Carrots… I want you to know that there's no need to be afraid to talk to me." He had both paws on her shoulders. Her torso was turned in his direction, but she kept her head turned away.

"Carrots…" He pulled his sunglasses down. Even with his green eyes expressing the deepest concern for her well-being, she kept her head turned.

"Judy."

 _Damn it._

"I want you to talk to me Judy. The last thing I want between us is a secret."

Judy turned to him, the corners of her eyes growing wet. "Can we talk about this when we get home?" Her nose twitched slightly.

Nick gave her a smile. "Of course. Now come on. We have a witness to talk to."

Entering the front doors, they were greeted by an almost abandoned facility. The only mammal they could spot was a brown male bunny sitting behind a desk. Completely lost in his computer screen, he startled when Nick rested his elbows on the desk.

"Busy day, uh?" Nick gave his best fake smile, doing his best to sound friendly as possible.

"Oh yes, very busy. There never seems to be a break around here." The bunny turned to Nick, a slight sense of worry brewing in his mind.

"We're here to meet with Chief Bruford. Can you please give him a call and let him know that Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde from the ZPD are here?"

The bunny lazily rotated his chair to face the phone on his right. "One minute." He slowly punched the numbers in the keypad, not in any mood to exhaust too much effort.

"You may want to move quicker. I don't think Chief Bruford would be pleased to hear that you were playing online poker instead of working. If I'm correct, I believe online gambling is illegal."

The bunny had frozen, his finger still hovering over the keypad. He opened his mouth to speak, but Nick quickly held up a finger to silence him.

"You may want to start wearing contacts. It's easy to see the reflection of that computer screen in your glasses."

The bunny snapped from his momentary pause and quickly dialed the phone. There was a moment of silence until the other end picked up.

"Chief Bruford, we have an Officer Wilde and an Officer Hopps from the ZPD here to speak with you." There was a pause as Nick could hear the faint sound of talking coming from the other end.

"Yes sir, I'll send them right in." He hung up the phone, giving Nick an apologetic smile.

"He's waiting for you in his office. It's down the hallway to your right, door at the end of the hall."

Nick gave him a pat on the head. "Thank you. Good to see you came around with some improved customer service."

As Nick and Judy walked to the doors entering the hallway, the bunny turned with an angry frown growing on his muzzle.

"Dumb fox. What a jackass." He turned back to his computer and reopened the window for his poker game.

"Don't think I didn't hear that" Nick called over his shoulder as he entered the hallway. They continued until they reached a door at the end of the hallway. Judy lifted her paw and knocked on the frosted glass.

"It's unlocked" A deep voice called from within. Judy turned the handle and swung the door open. They were greeted with the sight of a bunny sitting behind a desk. His fur was a light brown, some spots having slightly grayed with age. A stern look of concentration donned his muzzle. When he looked up to face Nick and Judy, that stern look vanished and was replaced with one of openness. He hopped down from his chair and walked over to greet them.

"Officer Hopps, Officer Wilde, it's a pleasure to meet you." He offered his paw, which Nick and Judy each shook. Nick was especially taken back by the rabbit's strength. His grip was much stronger than Stu's.

"And same to you Chief Bruford." The bunny released Nick's hand and walked back behind his desk.

He let out a deep laugh. For such a small creature, his voice was almost as deep as Finnick's.

"Oh please, just call me Bill. I never really liked all the formal titles that came with this job. Please, have a seat."

Nick and Judy did as they were told, placing themselves in the chairs in front of his desk. Judy thought to herself that it felt nice finally being able to sit in a chair meant for a mammal her size.

"Now that we have introductions out of the way," Bill said as he rummaged through a desk drawer, "it's time to get down to business. What do you know about this case?" He pulled a folder from his desk and laid it out in front of him.

"Everything that you know. Unless any new information as surface within the past 24 hours." Judy sat with her hands folded together in her lap. She stole a glance at Nick out the corner of her eye, who was sitting in a more relaxed position.

"I wish I could say we've had new leads Officer Hopps, but we haven't. My detectives and officers have come up dry everywhere." Bill held is head in one paw, rubbing his temples.

Nick straightened his posture. "Have there been any sort of common characteristics among the victims?"

"If there are, we haven't seen them. We brought you and Officer Hopps here since you did such a fantastic job with the Night Howler."

"No offense sir, but the Night Howler case is completely different. At least with that one, we had a photograph to build on. With this, there's nothing."

Bill ran his paws over his ears as he pushed them down against his head. "I understand. But I was hoping that perhaps you two could go look at the most recent crime scene. Personally, I believe a pair of fresh eyes could bring something up."

Nick cast Judy a glance, confirming that she had the same thought.

"I don't see why not. But we'll need a vehicle for use while we're here. Chief Bogo decided to make us take the train. As you can tell, he's not really the brightest."

Bill stroked his chin momentarily. "I suppose we can let you use our civilian stakeout vehicle. I mean, this is Bunny Burrow. We haven't really had a use for it in over ten years. Typically, the worst crime that happens here is shoplifting."

"When will be able to go look at the crime scene?" Judy tried her best to be as monotone as possible, but still let a slight touch of excitement slip in.

"I can have officer meet you tomorrow if that fits your schedule."

Nick and Judy both nodded.

"Great! I'll have him call you once he's on his way there." He flipped through some papers on his desking before scribbling down something on a sticky note.

"Here's the address."

"Thank you." Judy took the paper and slipped it into her pocket.

"Now that that's taken care of, we were hoping we could talk to that witness." Nick had only gotten more anxious while sitting in the office. Being an ex-conman, he was easily able to hide his excitement.

Bill turned his gaze from Nick, rubbing a paw on the back of his head.

"About that… She called just before you came in. She had something important come up and couldn't make it in today. She scheduled to come back tomorrow. She also asked me to apologize for the inconvenience."

Judy smiled warmly. "Oh that's no trouble. It's perfectly fine."

Nick felt differently. _You mean to tell me we came out here to only get fucking sent back home?_

"Alright, good. I was hoping this wouldn't make you that upset." Bill folded his paws together and donned a large smile.

 _Upset? I am beyond upset you fuc-_

"If you go back to the front desk, Officer Wetton will give you the key to the stakeout car." He stepped from behind his desk, shaking Judy's paw first.

"Good luck tomorrow. I sincerely hope we can finally get a lead."

Judy took his paw and shook it. She put on a nice smile, still masking the thought of her nightmares.

Turning to Nick, Bill extended his paw. Nick took it and once again had his paw crushed from the tremendous force of the bunny's grip.

"And same to you, Officer Wilde. Once again, I apologize for having to postpone the witness questioning."

 _You better be. I wasted valuable time to come out here and get turned back._

"It's perfectly alright, Bill. Don't worry about it."

"Also, please don't hesitate if there's anything I can help you with." With that, he returned behind his desk and dialed the phone.

"Wetton, please have the key to the stakeout car ready for when Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde return to the front desk. Thank you."

Nick and Judy turned to the door. As she opened it and walked out, Nick turned and faced Bill.

"Real quick, Bill. There may be one thing you could do to help me."

"Of course, Wilde."

"You may want to put filters on the computers here. I would to see Officer Wetton lose all his money in online poker. It would be such a crying shame."

Nick turned and closed the door, a smug grin pulling at the corners of his lips.

Approaching the front desk once again, they were greeted by Officer Wetton holding a key out for them. He had returned his attention back to his computer screen. Judy grabbed the key from his hand.

"It's in the lot on the side of the building. Row 1, space 4." He hadn't shifted his eyes to them at all. Nick laughed internally at the thought of the impending hell storm for the rabbit. As they walked out the front doors, Nick heard the faint sound of the hallway door slamming open.

"Wetton! My office, NOW!"

Nick relished in his victory as Judy punched his arm.

"You just had to go tell on him, didn't you?"

"You act like an asshole, you get treated like an asshole."

As they walked towards the lot, Nick took notice that Judy had returned to the way she had been in the car. Whatever it was that was bothering her, it once again had forced itself to the forefront of her thoughts.

Pulling into the driveway of the Hopps' farm, Judy was pulled from her trance. Although she had promised Nick she would talk to him about her nightmare when they got back, she still was extremely reluctant.

Nick opened the door and walked out. Judy did the same and quickly rushed to his side. She looked up and saw Nick inhaling the air. Once again, the sunset was causing his fur to almost glow. If the fear of her parents possibly watching through the window wasn't eminent, Judy would have tackled him to the ground and rubbed herself all over him. Her mind raced at the thought of feeling his fur and rubbing her paws along his torso.

"Carrots?"

Judy shook her head and came out of her fantasy.

"Yeah Nick?"

"Don't think I didn't forget about our conversation from early."

Judy hung her head down.

"Oh no…"

"I know it may be uncomfortable for you Carrots, but we seriously need to discuss."

"You're right." Judy had lifted her up a little bit, but still refused to make eye contact with Nick.

"I can tell if something is bothering you. And as of right now, this has been the worst I've ever seen you."

Nick stopped walking. Judy looked up to see a strong sense of worry beginning to swell in his eyes.

"I know you don't want to go talk in the house. I can already tell that this won't end up being pretty for at least one of us."

Judy's nose twitched, her eyes now staring off into the sunset.

"We'll go for a walk in the fields. Will you talk to me there?"

She shook her head, still refusing to make eye contact with Nick. As long as he still had that look of worry, she didn't want to so much as be facing his direction.

Nick led them around the side of the house and across the back yard. They hopped over the fence that separated the farmland from the main property. Nick led them to a path that separated a corn and a sugar cane field. Finally out of view of the house, he reached down and grabbed her paw. With Judy not responding to his touch, Nick wrapped his tail around her waist and pulled her closer.

They continued to walk, venturing deeper into the rows of crops. Nick would steal an occasional glance down at Judy, who stilled refused to look his direction. Passing many different plots, they finally came to the end of the last one. The path ended at the edge of a grass clearing. The clearing looked down a hill, which gave a breathtaking view of the other farms of Bunny Burrow. Nick sat them down on the grass, at this point not worrying about possibly staining their uniforms. He let go of her paw and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Keeping his tail around her, he pulled her as close into him as she could go. He felt her nuzzle her head into his side, also catching the sound of her inhaling his scent.

"Are you ready to talk now?"

He felt her nod as she sniffled.

"Are… are you already crying?" Nick looked down at her. A few tears had already slipped down her cheeks and onto her uniform.

"Judy? Please tell me what's wrong. You have me extremely worried."

Judy slipped out from under his arm, but left his tail wrapped around her.

"I… I don't want to lose you."

Nick was slightly taken aback by the severity of what her problem was.

"Lose me? Judy, what even made you think of that to begin with?"

Judy kept her gaze from him, instead looking out over Bunny Burrow. If she had looked over, she would have seen the utter heartbreak that was plastered on Nick's face.

"When we were on the train ride here, I had a nightmare that you were killed in the line of duty. And I had that dream again last night. I just... I just can't stand the idea of living my life without you. I know we've been dating for such a short amount of time. But I have this feeling deep in my heart that we were meant for each other."

Judy let a few more tears out, wiping them with the sleeve of her uniform.

"Judy, it's just a dream. You don't have to fear about anything happening to me. I understand that we will all die eventually. It's just a fact of life. But you really shouldn't be worrying about that right now. Please keep in mind, it really is nothing more than a dream."

"That's just the problem Nick! I don't feel like it's a dream! I… I… I can feel the blood soaking through your uniform. I can feel your body going limp in my arms as you grow weaker. The smell of your blood is just all too real. And I think the worst part is that I can see the life leave your eyes."

Judy lost all control as she buried her head in between Nick's shoulder and neck. Her tears came out full force. She wrapped her arms around Nick and dug her paws deep into his back.

"Shh… that's alright Carrots. Just go ahead and let it all out." Nick kept the pain out of his voice, although it was more difficult for him to keep his own tears in. He kept a strong embrace on Judy, letting her drain out all her pain and sorrow.

"I… just d-d-don't… want t-to lose y-y-you…" She let out between her deep sobs.

"I understand why you're scared Judy, but I can promise you that this all just your mind playing tricks on you. There is no reason to worry about anything happening to me on duty."

He ran his paw down her ears and then up and down her back. He continued, feeling her tense form begin to loosen under his touch.

"I keep telling myself the same thing Nick. But then I keep having this fear creep from the back of my mind. Then suddenly, I smell your blood again. This morning, I could have sworn I felt your blood dripping between my fingers."

Nick shuttered at the thought.

"Listen to me Judy. If it happens again, just remember this."

Nick pulled her from his shoulder. He put both paws on the back of her head and pressed her mouth to his. Judy melted almost instantly, now feeling more passion from him than she had ever felt before. As Nick pulled her into him even tighter, she began to feel her body go limp. Her mind no longer raced and soon became lost in a state of pure ecstasy. The details of her surroundings fuzzed out as everything blurred to where only colors were distinguishable.

After a seeming eternity of being lost, Judy was slowly pulled back into reality as they parted. Her vision began to focus back. She blinked a few times and locked eyes with Nick. The same look of love she had seen already was one again present, only stronger this time. But Judy also took notice of a new look in Nick's eyes. It was one of deep care and protection.

Judy had never seen Nick look so relieved when she finally began to smile.

"I was beginning to think I would never see you smile again."

He pulled her close, resting his chin on top of her head.

"So was I."

Judy buried her head in his chest, becoming lost once again in his embrace. Pressed against him, she was able to faintly hear the sound of his heartbeat. It comforted her to be so close to him. But perhaps what brought her the most comfort was the heat that radiated from him. Snuggling ever deeper into him, she lost herself as his warmth enveloped her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Sleepless**

Nick startled from his sleep as he heard a knock on his door. He lifted his head groggily from the pillow and powered on his phone screen.

 _Who the hell is here at 3 in the morning?_

Nick did his best to push aside his desire to go back to sleep. Whoever was at his door at such an hour most likely had a legitimate reason.

Stretching and letting out a yawn, he stepped out of bed. As he walked towards the door, he rubbed an eye and already began dreaming of being in bed. He unlocked the door and opened it.

"Carrots?"

Judy stood before him, a long t shirt covering her down to mid-thigh. It suddenly dawned on Nick that was only in his boxers. He couldn't imagine his embarrassment if had been Stu, Bonnie or one the kits at the door.

"I had the nightmare again Nick." She rubbed her arm, turning her head away in shame.

"There's no reason to be ashamed of that." He bent down and placed a paw on her arm. Judy instantly threw herself into him, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso. Nick didn't argue. Instead, he simply returned the embrace.

"I just needed to be able to feel you. I had to put my mind at ease and let it know you were still alive." Nick hadn't worn a shirt to bed, and Judy took the opportunity to rub her face into the soft fur of his chest.

"It's alright Carrots. I'm still here." He hugged her tightly, resting his head on top of hers. She used his body as a way to muffle her cries. Nick could feel her sounds of displeasure resonating inside his chest. Soon he began to feel her tears penetrate his fur and reach his skin.

"I thought I said if this ever happened again to just remember what happened yesterday." Nick ran his paws over her ears and up and down her back. Although it didn't calm her nearly as much as it had the previous evening, she still untensed slightly.

"I tried Nick, but it just wasn't the same as actually feeling you." Her crying had subsided greatly, but a few tears still managed to escape.

"Then I guess we'll have to keep you with me tonight." Nick scooped her up and walked back to his bed. Cradling her in one arm, he used the other to close and lock the door.

"Nick, you know we can't be sleeping together with my parents in the house."

"They woke up around 9 yesterday. I'll set an alarm for 8 so you can go back to your room before they wake up. Does that sound good to you?"

Judy rubbed her nose in the fur of his arm. "I guess so."

Nick gave her a loving smile as he climbed back into bed. He lay down on his side, pulling Judy close into him. She once again put her head into his chest. Nick wrapped his tail around her and pulled her in deeply. He put his arms around the back of her head and gently began to stroke her ears. He continued this until he heard her fall into a deep sleep.

"Sweet dreams Carrots."

He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes again.

* * *

"Did we sleep well last night" Bonnie called from the kitchen as she cooked breakfast. With Stu's face buried in the newspaper, Judy took advantage of her parent's distraction. She leaned over to Nick and quickly gave him a peck on his muzzle. Even with a look of concern at the possibility of being caught, Judy could tell he had enjoyed the risk.

"I, for one, slept very." Nick took a sip of coffee from his mug. "How about you Carrots?"

"I had some trouble falling asleep, but I was finally able to get comfortable." Judy gave Nick a smile and placed a paw on his thigh. Nick returned her look, his ears slightly perking up.

"Well that's good to hear." Bonnie shuffled over to the table, carrying a mountain of food on a platter in each paw. Nick gawked in amazement at the sheer volume of food that had been placed before them.

"Why did you cook so much?" Nick didn't know where to begin to serve himself.

"Oh this isn't just for us." Bonnie walked back to the kitchen and pressed the intercom. "Kids, come get breakfast!" She walked back to the table and took a seat next to her husband. Stu refused to look up from his newspaper.

"The kids who usually eat on this level of the house ate on the other floors the past few meals. I figured it would be overwhelming for you to deal with such a swarm the second you walked in the door. You seem to have gotten used to this place by now, so I figured you could handle them."

No sooner had Bonnie stopped talking than the thunderous roar of small bunny feet echoed from the hallway. As they turned the corner, Nick couldn't see individual faces. All he saw was a blur of gray and brown flooding into the dining room.

"Oh sweet lord…" Nick's face froze with terror as the wave of bunnies rushed towards him. He was thrown from his chair as a few of the bunnies tackled him. He landed on his back and the wind was knocked out of him in a violent burst.

"Nick! You four, get off of him!"

Judy leaped from her chair and began to pry the kits off.

"But he's so soft…"

"I don't care. You can play with Nick after we have breakfast."

As soon as Judy pulled one off of him, another one was quick to take its place.

"All of you; sit down! Leave Mr. Wilde alone!" Bonnie stood up from her place and shooed the children away. She offered her paw to Nick and helped him stand up.

"Are you alright, Nick?" He noticed that the mother-like worry in her eyes was actually sincere

"Thank you, Mrs. Hopps. I'm perfectly fine."

"You know Nick, I've never seen the young ones so accepting of a new guest. Every time one of Judy's brother or sisters brought someone new over, the least the kits would do was bite their ankles."

Nick ran a paw on the back of his head. "I guess I'm just a likeable mammal."

"Give me a break."

"Thanks, Carrots. Really appreciate it." Bonnie and Nick sat back down and served themselves. As they ate, the kit sitting next to Nick constantly reached behind his chair for a grab at Nick's tail. He played along; swishing it just out of reach as the small paw almost grasped it.

"Stop teasing him Nick. Just let him grab it."

"You never let me have any fun, do you Carrots?" Nick turned his attention back to the kit, once again moving his tail at the last moment.

As Judy and Bonnie conversed, Stu remained concealed behind his newspaper.

"You should eat something Stu." Bonnie served him a plate and slid it next to him. He folded his newspaper and put it under his arm.

"That's okay Bon, but I'm really not hungry. Thank you though." He stood up and walked towards the back door. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some work I need to get started on."

After he walked out the back door, he made his way around to the side of the house. Now fully out of view, he collapsed to the ground. He had been surprised he was able to maintain his composure for so long sitting at the table. Hoping his family couldn't hear, he sobbed loudly and buried his face into his paws.

"Look at this way, Carrots. Your mom really seems to have warmed up to me." Nick kept his eyes on the road as they drove back to the Bunny Burrow Police Department. Bill had called them to let them know that the witness had returned.

"I will agree. She does seem to have really opened up to you. I'm just still a little concerned at how dad acted this morning. It's not like him to refuse a meal."

"It surely wouldn't hurt him."

"Darn it, Nick. I'm serious."

"So am I."

"He just seemed out of his usual joyful mood. I've never seen him like that. It really has me worried."

"Don't overthink it Carrots. He probably just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. It happens."

"This didn't look like he was in a sour mood. This looked like something was really eating away at him." Judy stared out the window at the passing trees. Normally she would have been calmed by the beauty of her home. But now, all she could concentrate on was her father. They remained silent the rest of the drive over.

* * *

When they finally pulled up to the station, Judy was pulled from her thoughts.

"C'mon Carrots. Let's see if this witness actually leads us anywhere."

Judy got out the car and Nick locked it behind them. They continued to the front door in silence. Each one of them just continued to stare directly ahead. Nick held the front door open for her and followed in behind.

"Hello Officer Wetton. How are we doing this morning?" Nick was eager to see the effects of what he had set in motion the previous afternoon.

"Hello Officer Wilde. I'm doing well, thank you. Mr. Anderson is waiting for you. His room is down the same hallway from yesterday. He's going to be your third door on the right."

"Thank you." Nick flipped his sunglasses up. Considering the way the bunny had acted the day before, Nick considered his behavior to be a major improvement. He followed Judy to the hallway door and held it open for her before following. Right before it closed behind them, Nick caught it. He opened it a crack and stuck his head back through.

"One more thing Officer Wetton…"

The bunny looked up, a respectful fear of Nick in his eyes.

"I would stop trying to guess the password to the internet filters. If you have too many failed attempts, it'll alert your boss. Remember what I said yesterday. Your glasses easily reflect that screen." With a grin on his face, he slipped back into the hallway and closed the door. Judy was waiting for him at the questioning room. As the door opened, Nick could already tell that whoever was in the room was a smoker.

"Good morning. You must be Mr. Anderson"

Nick was met with the sight of a middle-age bunny sitting at a table in the center of the room. He wore a faded shirt and a pair of overalls, finishing the look with a cap over his ears. If it weren't for the fact that his face looked as if death walked behind him, Nick could have sworn he looked a lot like Stu. He outstretched his paw, the bunny refusing to take it.

"Yes I am. And just who would you be?"

"My name is Officer Wilde. I'm with the ZPD."

"ZPD? Why the hell do we need one of you city dwellers?"

Nick kept a straight face as his temper began to flare. It was only made more difficult by every word the bunny speaking bringing the smell of cigarettes with them.

"Well Mr. Anderson, we were called in because Chief Bruford thought that this case needed a pair of fresh eyes."

"Fresh eyes? What the hell can you do different from the other cops around here?

Judy put a paw on Nick's shoulder and pulled him back. She could that he needed to cool off before he slammed the bunny into a wall.

"Hello Mr. Anderson. I'm Officer Judy Hopps."

Nothing.

"Anyway, we were hoping to ask you some questions about the fire on your property two days ago."

"As I just said, what the hell are you going to do differently?"

"Well, we did solve the Night Howler case. So the chief thought we would be the best solution to their problem of no leads."

"Night Howler? That was you?"

Judy nodded, doing her best to keep her pride down. "Yes sir. And when I say _we_ , that includes Officer Wilde."

Mr. Anderson gave Nick a look. He had been standing in the corner, doing his best to keep his composure.

"Really? I will admit. That's some pretty fine work you did, even for a _fox_."

Nick rushed back to the table and slammed his fists down. His ears were flat down against his head. Curling upward, his lips had slightly exposed his sharp teeth.

"Now you listen here Cottontail. I may be a fox, but that does _not_ affect my credibility as an officer. I became a cop to better society, not let scum like you talk down to me."

Nick had lifted one paw of the desk, leaving the other to balance himself. He brought a finger within an inch of Ms. Anderson's nose, causing the rabbit to lean back in his chair.

"I did have a past I'm not so proud. But I turned myself around for the better. And let me tell you something. If there's one thing that was always present where I made my living, it was weed. And to be honest, I think I can smell it on you under that thick coating of cigarettes."

The bunny's eyes went wide as he grabbed tightly onto the seat of his chair.

"Here's what I'm going to do Mr. Anderson. I want you to fully cooperate with us. If you don't do so or give me any more shit, I'll place you under arrest for possession. Personally, I don't care about the use of marijuana. But if you continue to talk down to me, I will do everything within my power to make your life a living hell. Now, do you understand me?"

Without speaking, the bunny quickly nodded.

"Good. Now, if you'll be so kind, we have some questions to ask you."

* * *

"Stu, I can tell something's bothering you. Please just talk to me."

Bonnie sat with Stu at their dining table, the kits playing outside. After spending all morning hunting him down, she had finally managed to corner him.

"It's really alright, Bon." He put on a fake smile, not doing any good to cover his internal struggle.

"Stu, please don't lie to me."

Stu's ears went limp as defeat became apparent.

"I'm worried about Judy…"

Bonnie gave him a small laugh, although it brought him no amusement.

"Judy? Honey, there's no reason to worry about Judy."

She grabbed his paw and leaned forward to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"I understand that when she first moved to the city, there was reason to worry about her. But she's adapted. Look at how much our baby girl has grown! She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself."

Stu refused to make eye contact with his wife. Keeping his head turned, he did he best to keep a few tears from escaping his eyes. Pulling his paws away, he pulled his ears over his face. No longer felling in control of it, he began to cry. It was not as violent as it had been that morning, but his meltdown was still enough to cause Bunny to hug him.

"My God Stu, I don't think I've ever seen you this upset! Please, you _really_ need to tell me what's wrong!" Bonnie hugged him tighter, refusing to let go until her demands were met.

"I'm worried about Judy…"

"I already told you, she's fine on her own. And if that's not enough to calm you down, just think that Nick is there to keep her safe."

"That's just the problem, Bon; Nick is the one I'm scared of!"

* * *

"Nothing. Great! It looks like we really hit a brick wall now." Nick threw his hand up in defeat and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I know it seems bad at the moment, but I think things will turn around."

"To be honest with you Carrots, any sense of hope I had for this case has flown out the window."

"Oh come on Nick. At least we still have the crime scene to look over."

Nick gave a sarcastic laugh, his head still looking out the open window.

"You mean _if_ we still have the crime scene to look over. I still can't believe that the officer cancelled on us today."

Judy kept one paw on the steering wheel and put the other on Nick's thigh.

"Oh come on, Nick. They probably just had some work they got up in."

"Really Carrots? I doubt that. What else exactly goes on this town that it needs to steal you away from an arson investigation? As Bill said; the worst thing that really happens in Bunny Burrow is shoplifting. I could only imagine how many carrots someone had to steal in order to pull that officer from our case."

Judy let out a sigh and looked over at Nick. She could see a stern look of aggravation beginning to grow on his face.

"Nick…"

"What?" His response had a shrill bite to it.

Judy fell silent and returned her attention to the road. Nick glanced over and inspected the damage he had caused. Regret immediately began to crush down on him.

"Look Carrots, I'm sorry. You and I both know I really don't like unpleasant surprises."

"I understand Nick. But you'll really need to just calm down. Investigations like this take time."

"I know, I know. I just hope that I don't spend too much longer out here. I absolutely love being in the countryside for fall, but it's hard to enjoy it with the thought of your father hating me. If he continues his behavior towards me, I have a feeling there'll be a shotgun down my throat by the end of the week."


	10. Chapter 10

**This chapter uses the song 'The Carpet Crawlers' by Genesis**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Happy Family**

Nick opened the door to the Hopps home, letting Judy in ahead of him. After hours at the police station, he felt mentally and physically exhausted. He dragged his feet across the foyer as they made their way to the dining room table. Judy collapsed into a chair and let her body go limp.

"I'm really tempted to just go to bed…"

Nick followed her example and collapsed into the chair next to her.

"That actually sounds really nice. I'm on board."

He leaned his head back and felt his eyelids grow heavy with the impending rest. Just as he was about to slip away, he felt a sharp tug on his tail. Looking down, he was greeted with the grinning face of a kit latched onto him.

"Come play with us!"

Judy lazily turned around in her spot.

"No Marcus. Mr. Wilde and I are _very_ worn out from work. We really just want to get some rest."

The kit's face suddenly became overcome with deep sadness. Soon, he began to cry.

"But you promised that we could play with him after breakfast. And that didn't happen!"

Judy stood up and tried to remove him from Nick's tail. "I know Marcus. But worked called us in before we had a chance to let Mr. Wilde play. And I'm sorry that we broke our promise. But we really just need to rest. I promise that we'll have some play time in the morning."

"But I want to play _now_!"

Judy kept the kit in a tight grip, doing her best to calm his worsening attitude.

"Hold on Carrots." Nick stood up from his chair and walked over to her.

"I'll make a deal with you little buddy. But I want you to stop crying. Can we do that?"

Marcus shook his head violently. His tears had stopped, but his cheeks were still glistening in the aftermath of his tyraid.

"Alright good. I'll come play with you for fifteen minutes, okay? _Fifteen_. And that's all you'll get."

Marcus began to sniffle. His tears were about to start flowing again. "But that's not a long time."

Nick took a knee, getting at eye level with the kit.

"Sometimes you can't always get what you want. You just need to be grateful for what you're given. Isn't fifteen minutes better than no play time at all?"

"I guess so…"

"Good. So do we have a deal?"

Nick outstretched his paw. The kit took Nick's comparably large paw in both of his and shook it violently. Judy put him down and watched as Marcus ran down a hallway.

"Count to twenty and don't look!" He vanished around a corner.

"I have to hand it to you, Nick, you really are good with the kits." With no one else in their vicinity, Judy grabbed his head and turned it in her direction. She gave him a quick kiss.

"What can I say, Carrots? I'm a natural at it."

Judy smiled and caressed his cheek.

"I think you've waited long enough. Don't let Marcus think you forgot about him."

Nick gave her an amused grin and ran down the hallway.

"Watch out Marcus! Here I come!" Judy shook her head and followed after him. She watched Nick poke his head into each room, scanning for any sign of the kit.

"Come on Marcus. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's sniffing out bunnies." He turned to Judy and licked his lips. She had to throw her paws over her mouth to stop her laughter from bursting out.

"I can smell where you went." He made a loud, audible sniff. "Be ready Marcus."

As Nick turned his head into the next room, he could hear the faint sound of a child laughing. He walked into the room, remaining quiet as he approached the slightly open closet door.

"You really did make this too easy, little bunny."

Nick flew the door open. He was greeted with the sight of at least fifteen bunnies waiting inside.

"Oh no…" Nick turned and ran out the room, the swarm of fluff trailing close behind. Judy joined him, following back down the hallway. They turned the corner and ran into the living room. While Judy ran behind a chair, Nick jumped onto a nearby couch. The toddlers took notice and jumped on top of him. Nick was left covered in kits, only the tip of his tail and a paw exposed.

"That's not fair Marcus .You outnumber me."

Nick let them continue to poke and pull at him to their heart's fulfillment.

"Alright everyone, it's been fifteen minutes. Time to scatter."

Judy walked away from the cover of her chair, beginning to pry the kits off of Nick.

"You really had to kill the fun didn't you Carrots?"

"Hey now, it was your rule."

With the last kit off and running down the hallway, Nick sat up. He cracked his back and relaxed into the cushions.

"You know Nick, you really are better with kits than I thought."

"I do my best Carrots. I guess it just comes naturally to me."

Judy rubbed the back of her head and shyly looked at Nick. "Have you… ever thought about having kits of your own?"

Nicks eyes shot wide open, his mouth contorting into a nervous frown.

"Carrots, we've been together for all of _three_ days. Isn't it a _little_ too early to be discussing this? We're not even married yet."

"I know, and I'm sorry. But I'm a bunny. It's what our nature wants us to think about. And it's also what bunnies just want to do."

"But is it what _you_ want to do?"

"I think so. I don't want to be like my parents though. The last thing we want is to rent out an entire apartment building to fit our family. I would only want maybe one or two. And there's no need to mention that we can't possibly have our own kits."

"You're always talking about the numerous ways you can make life better for the citizens of Zootopia. Why not adopt? There's a kit out there who needs a family. Let's give it to them."

"I supposed your right. But would we adopt a fox or a bunny?"

"Alright, that's enough for now Carrots. I have a lot on my mind right now."

Judy calmed herself. She did her best to put all her thoughts on marriage and motherhood away until the time came.

"You're right Nick. I know how much this case is clouding your mind right now."

"Well not only that. Your parents are cooking dinner in the kitchen. I think I'm ready to tell your dad about us."

Judy turned to him, grabbing his arm with her paw. She locked eyes with him, making sure he fully noticed all the suspense in her eyes.

"Are you sure you're really ready Nick?"

"As much as I'll ever be."

Getting up from the couch, he gave Judy a quick kiss and walked towards the kitchen. Whether this would end up working out well or having him kicked out the house, Nick the time had come.

"You need to talk to him, Stu."

Bonnie looked over at her husband. She kept one hand stirring the pot on the stove and other placed on her hip.

"I know I do, Bon. I'm just having trouble mustering up the courage to do it. What if I freeze up or make him mad?"

Stu kept his head down as he chopped vegetables. He usually didn't enjoy cooking, but this was better than mustering up the courage to talk to Nick.

"Make him mad? Honey, just tell him what you told me earlier. You'll be fine."

"But, but are you sure that this the right time?"

Bonnie turned and glared at him.

 _Oh boy, she's mad_

"You can't keep delaying this Stu. You seriously need to go talk to him, _now_."

Stu let out a deep sigh and set down his knife. "You're right, Bon. This isn't going to get any better. The sooner I do this, the better."

Stu took in a deep breath, turning from the stove. He walked out the kitchen towards the living room, where he had seen Nick and Judy sitting earlier. As he entered the dining room, he came face to face with Nick. Both stood staring at each other momentarily.

 _Oh God, what do I say?_

 _What on Earth do I say?_

Stu mustered up his courage and broke the silence. "Nick, I want to talk to you about something. Would you mind coming outside with me?"

 _Shit, he beat me to it._

"Of course."

Without another word, Stu turned and walked out the back door. Nick followed close behind. As he stepped over the threshold, he turned to look at Judy one more time. She gave him a look of comfort, blowing him a kiss. He smiled and closed the door behind him.

"It's a nice evening. I figured being outside would do us both some good." Stu kept his eyes concentrated straight ahead. Nick was unable to see the look of fear growing on his face as they continued to walk. Like the day he and Judy had ridden into town on the train, the sun cast a yellow glow on his surroundings. What had brought him comfort and joy two days before, now did no good.

 **Begin 'The Carpet Crawlers'**

Stu lead them to a bench beneath a large oak tree. Nick felt comfortable being out of sight of the house. He had no idea how the future events were going to unfold and didn't want an audience. Stu sat down, keeping his head staring straight ahead over the farm. The two of them sat in silence. Neither one of them wanted to initiate conversation. After a minute of silence, Nick made a decision.

"Alright, Mr. Hopps, what did you want to tell me?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about Judy."

Stu continued to keep facing forward. His facial expression was neutral, but Nick could tell that deep inside, he was overflowing with worry.

"I… I could smell Judy on you this morning…"

 _Well, he knows. At least now I don't have to tell him. Wait, is that a good thing?_

"To be honest, it was only very faint when you first got here. But this morning, it was much stronger. I just want to make sure… You're not taking advantage of her, right?"

Nick tensed up. At first, he was somewhat upset with Stu for thinking such a horrendous thought. But to be honest, he couldn't blame him. He let out a sigh, turning to look at Stu.

"If you mean to ask if we did it, then the answer is no. She had a nightmare and came knocking at my door. All she wanted was for me to be there to comfort her. I would never try to make a move on a woman when she's in such a fragile position."

Stu finally broke his gaze over the farm. He ran a paw over his face and back over his ears.

"I apologize if I sounded suspicious. It's… it's just that it's hard seeing my little girl move on. No matter how many of my daughters have done the same, it never gets any easier. As a father, it's hard to see your baby go…"

"Well I can assure you, you won't have to worry about me. I don't have a daughter a yet, or any children at that. But I understand the bond between a father and his daughter is something very special. It's reasonable to be suspicious of any male with your daughter. I would stop at nothing to put myself in harm's way for Judy's safety. She used to tell me how you and Mrs. Hopps would worry about her when she first went to the city. I'm here partner. Her safety is my number one concern. If you had any reasons to question my trust, I hope they're gone now. "

Nick reached out and put a paw on Stu's shoulder. He gave him a smile of acknowledgement, which seemed to slightly throw Stu off. After regaining his bearings, Stu returned the smile.

"A long time ago, I could tell Judy had finally found the one."

"A long time ago? How long ago was this?"

"Oh, I'd say maybe two months or so. The first day she had you assigned as her partner, she called us. I had never heard her so excited. What caught me was that she didn't tell us about how she had a partner. She told us all about you. There was no mention of work, only you. After that, every word out of her mouth was something glorifying you."

Nick took a moment to gather his thoughts. He had known Judy had felt strongly about him for a while, but he never knew she bragged about him to her parents. He sort of felt honored.

"Well then, I guess it's pointless at this moment to say that we are, in fact, dating. We're more than just really close friends."

Stu let out a laugh, slapping Nick on the back.

 _Damn it, that hurt._

"Oh, I could tell you two were a couple the second you walked in the door."

"Wow. Even after all that cologne, her scent was still there."

"It wasn't just her scent Nick."

Nick cocked an eyebrow. His face was now puzzled, pleading for an explanation.

"I saw it in the way she looked at you. I've seen it in all my married daughters when they look at their husbands. Judy has it now, too. But with you, I've never seen it so strong. You must really, _really_ love her, Nick."

 _That doesn't even come close to describing it._

"I do. I really do."

Nick looked back out over the farm. The light from the sunset not only brought out the vibrant color of his fur, but also caught the tears that had begun to form in his eyes.

"When I first came here, I thought you were going to have a taser jabbed in my side when I told you about us."

"I used to have a prejudice against foxes, Nick. But Judy really helped me see past that. As far as I'm concerned, I don't care what species you are. The only thing that matters to me is that you make Judy happy."

"I can tell that what Judy and I have really is true love. There's no other mammal I could see myself with. Every time I look into her eyes or hear something as simple as her laughter, I lose it. My mind just overflows with how much I really love her. Now that I finally admitted it to her, I've never felt so at peace. She brings balance to my life, and I bring comfort to her when she needs it must."

Nick wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his uniform. All his attempts to try and be the bigger male in this situation were beginning to crumble.

"Well you have my approval. Of all the mammals Judy could have brought home, I'm glad it was you."

Stu had a tear slip down his cheek, failing to stop his emotions from flooding out.

"Thank you, Mr. Hopps. That really… that really means a lot."

Nick did his best to keep his composure. But like the bunny, he soon began to let it all out.

Stu held out his paw as his tears only began to intensify.

"Please, call me Stu."

Nick took the paw, pulling him into a hug instead of shaking it. Stu wrapped his arms around Nick. His tears kept coming, and Nick only pulled him tighter.

* * *

Bonnie and Judy turned their attention as Nick and Stu walked back through the door. Nick had his arm around Stu, both of them donning large smiles. Judy immediately got up from the couch and walked over to them. Her ears had fallen back and her nose twitched.

"So… I'm assuming it went well?"

Nick pulled his arm from around Stu's shoulder. He grabbed her head with both paws, staring into her eyes with an intense burning passion.

"I don't know Judy. Does this answer your question?"

Nick pulled her into a kiss, closing his eyes. At the immediate contact of his lips with hers, her eyelids fluttered and closed shut as well. She put her arms around his waist and pulled herself deeper into his embrace. His paw cupped the back of her head, keeping her tilted upward towards him. His tail wrapped around her, as if locking her in to never escape. Her mind slipped away in the moment. Thinking only about Nick's touch, all her senses went silent. The only thing on her mind was the raging inferno of Nick's love finally being free to fully blaze in the open.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: The Sheltering Sky**

Judy snuggled closer to Nick, his arm around her shoulder.

After dinner, the two of them had taken a walk out to the hill that had visited the other night. A crisp autumn chill hung in the air. Before leaving the house, they had changed out of their uniforms. Both of them had changed into a ZPD issue pair of sweatpants and matching sweatshirt.

"You know, Carrots, you no longer have to sneak into my room at night."

Judy was snapped from her thoughts and back into reality.

"I guess you're right. We no longer have to be watching over our backs when we go to kiss."

She looked up at the night sky. No matter how many times she saw it, the sheer beauty of lying out under the stars in Bunny Burrow always stunned her. Without the lights of the city, she was able to see every star in the sky.

"You know Nick, maybe we should consider coming visit my parents more often. After all, you can't really get a view like this in the city."

Nick's smile grew larger as he observed the heavens with her.

"I suppose you're right Carrots. This really has been the calmest I've been in a while. There's just something magical about Bunny Burrow that I can't put my finger on."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief of blueberries.

"So that's where you ran off to before we left." Judy reached a paw over and took a few.

"I never miss an opportunity" Nick said as he popped few into his mouth. No matter how many he ate, Judy always saw the same look of pleasure on his face when he ate them.

They sat silent for a while, continuing to stare up at the sky as they ate. Judy thought about how safe she felt under the stars. As a kit, she always liked to imagine that they were some kind of extra-terrestrial beings keeping guard over her. Having moved on from those thoughts, she now knew better about what they really were. But there was still that sense of protection she felt all those years ago. She snapped out of her childhood memories, remembering what she had wanted to talk about as they ventured here.

"Nick? Can we continue our discussion from earlier?"

"And just what was that conversation about, my love?"

Nick looked down at her and rubbed her nose with his. He wrapped his tail around her waist, locking her into his embrace.

"About the possibility of kits…"

Nick paused halfway through swallowing a blueberry. His eyes went wide with surprise. After a moment of silence, he swallowed.

"Like I said earlier Carrots, we aren't even married yet."

Hoping to somehow avoid continuing the conversation he stuffed more blueberries into his mouth. They were a barrier that wouldn't last long.

"So if we talk about marriage, can we talk about kits?"

Nick looked away and downhill over the surrounding farms. He blew air from his mouth, inflating his cheeks out as he did so.

"There's no way to avoid this, is there?"

Judy shook her head 'no'. She now had a grin similar to Nick's conman one. He knew that she was fully aware of her success at cornering him.

"First off, we need to seriously consider something. We've been dating for only three days. Marriage is something that you're supposed to have patience on; _a lot_ of patience."

"I know that Nick. I just have this strong gut feeling that we really are meant to be together."

Nick immediately pulled her lips to his. She lost her train of thought as Nick ran a paw around the nape of her neck. No matter how many times he did it, she was still taken aback at how a mammal who worked effortlessly to keep a tough public persona handled her so gently. As he pulled her close enough to be pressed against his chest, she could feel the heat radiating from his body. They parted, and Nick kept her head pointed at him with paw under her chin.

"Don't worry Carrots. I have that same feeling too. We just need to be patient. I know you're not going to want to hear this, but we could always be running the chance that we're wrong."

Judy knew deep down inside that he was right.

"You're right Nick. I just feel the urge to move things along in our relationship. I guess I'll just have to be patient. Like you said; we could be wrong."

"And that's the thing. We _could_ be wrong. Although, if I look at you the same way you look at me, I can fully guarantee that this isn't a mistake."

He let go of her chin. She snuggled back under his arm and buried her head into his side.

"Now that we've discussed that, can we please talk about kits?"

"You really aren't holding anything back, are you?"

"Not at all."

Nick let out what sounded like a sigh of frustration. She looked up to see he still had a grin on his face. He never missed an opportunity to try and mislead her.

"Alright, fine. Fire away."

"Do you want to have kits one day?"

"I've thought about it. When I was in my mid-twenties, I avoided children like death. I never wanted a kit."

Judy felt her stomach drop.

 _Maybe he doesn't want to start a family with me…_

"But the older I got and the more I matured, I realized that I would want a kit one of these days. Now, I have that feeling that I want to father a kit. I want to have someone who can take after me."

Judy looked up to see that his eyes were starting to glisten. Normally she would have pointed it out, but she decided it was best to just let Nick have his moment. After she let him think, she continued the conversation.

"How many would you want?"

"Personally, I would be satisfied with just one or two."

Judy felt a sense of relief that his answer was the same as hers.

"Like I had said earlier, I don't want to be like a typical bunny. I really don't see the appeal to having a million kits running around the apartment. I only want one or two as well."

Nick's tone dropped to a neutral level with his next sentence.

"Well now we get to the problem of us."

His eyes began to glisten again.

"There's no way we can have kits. I'm not going to lie. It pains me to think that I won't be able to have a kit of my own blood while I'm with you. There's nothing I would want more than to have you be the bearer of my kits. It just won't happen. But that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. As long as we're together, I'm perfectly happy adopting."

Judy looked up to see Nick staring down at her. A tear slid down his cheek and his mouth slightly trembled. His ears now lay flat against the back of his head.

"Oh Nick…"

Judy reached up and wiped his face with the sleeve of her sweatshirt.

"I would want you to father my children. But since that can't happen, I'm willing to adopt. It's not like we would love an adopted kit any less than our biological one."

"And at this point, I don't care if it's a bunny or a fox. It wouldn't matter to me." Nick reached out and caressed the soft fur of her cheek.

Judy suddenly leaned away from him. A look of fear crossed her face as she pulled her ears down over her cheeks.

"Carrots… what's wrong?"

"I can't believe we didn't think about Chief Bogo. How could we have forgotten about our careers? It's one thing to keep dating a secret, but it's a completely different game to try and keep _marriage_ from reaching his ears _._ The chief will be suspicious the day we both happen to walk into work with wedding rings. Oh my God, how are we ever goi-"

Nick placed a finger on her lips and paused her ramble. His smile was gone, now replaced with a look of pure, undisturbed focus.

"Do you love me?"

"Well yeah, but-"

"No Judy. Do. you. love. me?"

"Yes Nick, I love you."

He lowered his finger away.

"I love you too Judy. And our love can never be separated. If Chief Bogo is willing to fire us over it, then so be it. I'll quit and let you stay a cop. I don't want to let you lose the dream you worked so hard to achieve."

"I'll quit too."

Nick sat motionless. His mouth hung slightly ajar at the stunning sentence Judy spoke to him.

"I would rather work with you at a different job than spend the rest of my life at my dream job without you as my partner."

"Judy, that's… that's so touching…"

"I've come to realize that I have a new dream. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Nick began to cry again, as did Judy. They embraced in each other's arms and kissed. No matter what pleasant or devastating surprises the future held for them, they both knew it would be together. The two remain locked in each other's loving grasp as they let all problems flee their minds. All that mattered now was that they had each other. The stars starred down at Nick and Judy from the heavens; marveling at the scene of intense passion displayed before them upon the hill.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Into the Frying Pan**

Nick was thrown from his deep slumber as her heard his phone vibrating on the nightstand. He released his hold on Judy and groggily trudged to it. The sudden brightness of the screen caused him to squint. After a moment of almost complete blindness, he was able to make out the number.

 _Bill Bruford_

He slid 'answer' and brought the phone up to his ear.

"Hello…"

"Officer Wilde, I need you and Officer Hopps to meet me at 17 Fields Avenue. We have a fire in progress. There's no telling yet if it's going to be another to add to your investigation's list, but better safe than sorry."

Nick let out a yawn, causing the beginning of his next sentence to be inaudible.

"…-ount on us. We'll be right there."

With that, he set the phone back down and walked back to the bed. He placed a paw on Judy's shoulder and shook her awake.

"Carrots…"

She mumbled in her sleep, grabbed Nick's arm and snuggled it. Nick pulled his arm back and shook her harder.

"Seriously Carrots, wake up. There's another fire."

Judy finally blinked her eyes open and stared up at Nick. She stretch and let out a loud yawn.

"Another one?"

Nick walked over the closet and pulled their uniforms out. He talked as his slid his shirt on and hastily began to button it.

"Yup. Bill said he's unsure yet if it's related to the others so far, but it's a pretty safe guess to say that it is."

He threw Judy her clothes. She hopped out of bed and quickly dressed herself.

"I'm assuming he already gave you the address?" Judy grabbed the car keys and Nick's phone from the nightstand and tossed them to him

"Yes he did." Nick fastened the buckle on his pants and opened the bedroon door.

"Alright, let's go."

They both sprang out of the guest room and ran out the front door.

* * *

As they pulled into the driveway, the interior of the vehicle was illuminated by the intense orange glow of flames. Judy felt her stomach drop as the engulfed barn fully came into view. Nick brought them to a stop; turning off the engine as his mouth continued to hang open in astonishment.

"Oh… my god…"

He opened his door and kept his gaze straight ahead. They both jogged to the line of cops that stood watching as the fire department struggled to extinguish the inferno.

"Officer Hopps, Officer Wilde, over here!" Judy recognized the deep voice as Bill came running in their direction.

"Bill, has… has anyone been hurt?" Nick kept his eyes on the fire as Judy turned to talk to the chief.

"Thankfully no. The residents are a little shaken, but completely unharmed."

"Did you catch anyone leaving the scene?"

"We haven't found anyone yet. There are some officers helping the couple who lives here. They're sitting in the ambulance over there."

Judy followed his gaze and caught site of the ambulance sitting near the house. She saw a pair of bunnies sitting on the ledge of the rear entrance, a blanket wrapped around them.

"Nick and I can go question them. I need you to dispatch officers to set up checkpoints on every road within a five mile radius of this farm."

"Excuse me?" Bill turned to her with a look of confusion and a raised eyebrow.

"If we're dealing with an arsonist, which I believe is safe to assume by now, then they most likely stayed to watch their work finish. Since the fire is still going, I believe that they're most likely watching from off property. Once it's extinguished, they'll have to go home. I want anyone driving to be stopped."

"But Officer Hopps, do you really expect us to stop every car that goes past?"

"Bill, it's 2 in the morning. If someone is out driving at this hour, then they better have a damn good reason."

With that, Judy walked over to Nick and grabbed his arm.

"Come on Nick. I think we should talk to the property owners."

As they walked towards the ambulance, Nick kept his eyes on the slowly dwindling blaze. He had seen the pictures in the case file Chief Bogo had given them, but it hadn't dawned on him until now the magnitude of what caused the damage in those photos. He snapped out of it as they reached the ambulance. The fluorescent lights inside it flooded onto the yard, casting the bunnies' shadows onto the grass.

"Hello. I'm Officer Judy Hopps and this is my partner, Officer Nicholas Wilde. Am I to assume that you two are the property owners?"

The female bunny remained silent as the male offered Judy his paw. "Yes Officer Hopps. My name is Tony Levin. This is my wife, Susan."

The female bunny shyly glanced up at Judy and gave her a forced smile. Behind it, Judy was able to see the pain Susan tried to fight off.

"I understand that you both are shaken up at the moment, but are you willing to help answer a few questions for us?"

Susan put her head back down as Tony put his arm around her. He gave Judy a smile, trying to hide his pain deep down inside.

"I can talk."

"That would be a great help. Nick, can you please record this on your phone?"

Nick pulled his phone from his pocket. He opened the voice memo app and hit the record button.

"All set Carrots."

Judy turned her attention back to Tony.

"Alright Mr. Levin, when did you first notice the fire?"

"I actually woke up from sleeping when the bright light got into our bedroom. The loud popping and cracking coming from it also woke me up."

"I'm assuming you saw the fire and contacted the police?"

"That's correct."

"Now in the time between making the 9-1-1 call and the police and fire department arriving, what did you do?"

"I walked outside to see if I could salvage anything in the barn. But it was already too far gone."

Judy watched as his eyes filled with sadness. Judy couldn't imagine what he had lost in the fire, but she was able to tell that it truly dug a deep wound in him.

"Now Mr. Levin, I want you to think really hard on this one. Did you see anyone leaving your property?"

"No, I didn't."

Judy did her best to keep her composure as the news broke to her. But when she spoke, she failed to keep a slight tone of disappointment inside.

"Alright. Thank you."

"But there was something that struck me as odd."

Judy's ears perked up and her eyes shot back to look at Tony. Perhaps they hadn't reached another dead end after all.

"There was a bunny standing amongst the police officers when they arrived. It took me a while to realize that he wasn't wearing a uniform."

"Did you know this individual?"

Tony shook his head from side to side.

"Nope. Never seen him in my life."

"If we can get a sketch artist over here, would you be able to talk to him?"

Judy's voice began to gain a hint of excitement as her mind raced the possibility of finally pulling this case out of neutral and putting it in gear.

"I couldn't see all his facial features, but I'm pretty sure I can remember the basics."

With that, Judy turned and yelled for Bill. He came running over, clipping a radio back onto his shoulder. Judy walked away from the ambulance and met him halfway.

"Yes Officer Hopps?"

"Mr. Levin says he saw a stranger standing amongst the officers. Are any of your officers not in uniform?"

"The day one of my officers shows up to work not in uniform is the day I become a carrot farmer."

Judy gave him an awkward smile and furrowed her brow. He quickly took notice and scrambled to repair the damage.

"No offense, of course."

"None taken. Now, I need you to get a sketch artist over here immediately. Mr. Levin says he can give a basic description of our suspect."

"Right away."

As he walked away, he unclipped his radio again.

"Officer Wetton, I need you to call Officer Fripp and send him to 17 Fields Avenue with his sketchpad and pencils. I know it's late, but this is important."

There was a paused before Bill stopped in his tracks. With his booming voice, he yelled back into the radio.

"Damn it, Wetton! Get off your damn computer and do it! This _can't_ wait!"

Judy focused her attention back on Nick. He had put his phone away and was now comforting Tony and his wife. A smile was on Susan's face as Nick spoke words Judy was unable to hear over the roar of the fire behind her. She watched as Susan jumped up from her perch on the ambulance and threw her arms around Nick's neck. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"You really know how to make mammals happy, don't you Nick?" Judy let a grin appear on her face for the first time that night.

* * *

A battered pickup truck made its way down a pothole-ridden road. With each bump, the bunny inside bounced up from the seat.

"Damn city. I pay a shit-ton of taxes every year, and for what? To keep driving on the same roads while no change ever happens."

His grip tightened on the steering wheel as he felt his anger begin to boil over. Typically, he enjoyed a night drive. But the poor conditions of the backroad he was on made it extremely difficult to find so much as a shred of enjoyment in the experience. He was thrown from his thoughts as the red and blue flashing lights of a police car came into sight.

"Oh fuck…"

Deciding that the cop had already seen his headlights coming, he knew it was too late to turn back. If he turned around, that would lead to a car chase. He knew that if his truck hit a pothole going faster than forty miles per hour, he would crack an axle. The only thing he could do was keep driving.

"It's alright Jack. Just calm down and remain composed. If you look like you aren't guilty, then you won't be bothered. Just be respectful to the cop and you won't be bothered."

Jack watched as the bull looming in front of the vehicle waved and motioned for him to stop. Bringing the truck to a stop, Jack put on a fake smile. The officer walked around to the driver side of the vehicle and motioned for Jack to roll down the window.

"Hello officer. Is there something I can help you with?"

The bull kept a straight face, staring deep into Jack's eyes.

"We had a fire on Fields Avenue a few miles back. We were asked to set up a road block and stop any car trying to leave the area. May I ask why you're out so late?"

With the bull's gaze not seeming to lighten up any time soon, Jack concocted a quick excuse.

"My wife is pregnant at the moment. She keeps getting these cravings in the middle of the night. Tonight, it's pickles and black olives. It drives me up the damn wall, know what I mean?"

He donned a slight smile, doing his best to keep a positive attitude that did not come off too strong. The bull was unamused by the comment. His brow furrowed a little more and nostrils flared.

"I'm not married."

 _Well there goes any attempt to talk my way out of this one..._

"Right. Well, if I may, I really need to get back home quickly before my wife tears me a new one."

"Not so fast."

Jack froze and felt his blood run cold.

"If you're heading back home to your pregnant wife, would you care to tell me where your groceries are?"

Once again, Jack quickly thought up another lie.

"Like I said, if I don't get home soon, she'll be pissed. I need to get to the Quick Stop and hurry back home."

"The gas station is back in the other direction."

 _Damn it!_

"Sir, I need you to step out of the vehicle."

Left with no other option, Jack reached into his pocket. He gripped the trigger of his pistol, keeping it concealed from view.

"Sir, please step out the vehicle."

"Alright, alright. Calm down."

Jack opened the door. As it swung open, he pulled the pistol from his pocket. Shots rang out into the night as he fired into the bull's chest.

"It's a shame you couldn't just let me be on my way. I really didn't want to take a life tonight. But now look at what you made me do."

Jack walked around the bull as he lay on the ground. He kept the pistol in his hand and tapped the end of the barrel onto his cheek. Each time it hit, he made a _pop_ sound with his lips. Starring at the fallen officer, Jack celebrated in see his breathing began to grow shallow.

"Normally I would have sympathy, but you really weren't a joy to talk to. I feel as if I'm doing the world a favor by taking your piss attitude from this world."

Jack brought the pistol down from face and began to run it up the bull's torso. This caused the wounded mammal to sputter in fear. A small amount of blood spewed from his mouth. Staring into the eyes of the bull, Jack brought the gun's barrel onto his nose. The officer's gaze had morphed from one of burliness into the realization that he stood on death's door.

"You really should have just let me go."

With a final grin and the look of pure insanity burning in his eyes, Jack pulled the trigger.

* * *

"Is this him?"

Judy handed Tony the drawing immediately after Officer Fripp finished it. He hadn't been too pleased to be woken up in the middle of the night, so the bunny wore his drowsiness for all to see.

"Am I done here?" The bunny yawned and had already begun to pack up his supplies.

"Yes. You may leave."

Judy turned her attention back to Tony, a look of aggravation still present from Officer Fripp.

"I apologize. Now, is this him?"

Tony took the paper in his paw and scanned the image.

"Yup, that's him."

Judy took the piece of paper back. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she held the sheet up and snapped a picture of it.

"Alright Mr. Levin. My partner and I appear to be done here. We'll be heading back home unless there's anything else you need."

Tony shook his head no.

"Thank you again for your cooperation. I'll send Chief Bruford to come speak with you. He'll give you his contact information."

She turned to Nick, who nodded that it was time to get some more sleep. As they walked from the ambulance, they paused when Susan yelled.

"Wait!"

She removed the blanket from around her shoulders and ran towards them. With outstretched arms, she took Nick into a hug. This caught him by surprise, as eyes went wide with shock.

"Thank you... thank you so much..."

Nick returned her hug and patted the top of her head.

"I'm only doing my job, ma'am. My goal is to keep you safe, but make sure you're happy while I'm doing it."

With that, Susan let go and walked back to her husband. Nick and Judy turned back to their, the fire behind them having finally been reduced to a smoking heap of rubble.

"Don't think I'm unaware of what that was about, Nick."

As they climbed into the car, Judy saw a look of confusion on his face.

"What are you talking about Carrots?"

"I saw you talking to her earlier. You told her something that completely reversed her mood. What did you say."

Nick started the engine and turned on the headlights. As he turned around on the lawn and back onto the driveway, he put his free paw on Judy's.

"No matter how dark things may seem, there's always going to be light at the end of the tunnel. You see Officer Hopps over there? She's actually my girlfriend. She saved me from the life I used to live and really turned my perspective on life for the better. Before she came along, I felt alone in the darkness like you do now. Now matter how endless the darkness seems, just always remember that there is eventually light at the end of the tunnel. The distance is always different for each mammal, but that light is always there. So never think that you won't reach it."

There was a moment of silence. Nick looked over to see Judy beginning to cry.

"You're going to cry just like she did?"

"Nick... is... is that really what you said?"

"Every word of it. And I _meant_ every word of it."

Judy wiped her tears away and sniffled.

"What did I ever do to deserve you?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Red**

"Sorry Jude. I don't recognize him."

Stu handed Judy her phone back as a look of disappointment spread across her face.

"We finally get an idea for a suspect, and no one recognizes him." She slouched back in her chair and blew out a gust of stressed air.

"I'm more surprised that one of the roadblocks didn't catch him." Nick took another bite of cereal, not bothering to swallow before talking again.

"It just seems like he vanished from the area, but he sure as hell didn't levitate and float away."

Judy threw her head back, letting out a moan of distress.

"Give it some time Carrots. Bill said he'll posting the sketch up around town and get it on the evening news."

"The problem here is that Bunny Burrow is a tightly knit community. We all know one another. It's almost unheard of for a complete stranger to live among us. But then again, an arsonist wouldn't exactly have an outgoing personality."

Nick lifted the bowl to his face and finished off his breakfast.

"Well while you keep contemplating Carrots, I'm going to go back to bed for a little while."

Nick walked into the kitchen and set his bowl down in the sink. He ran water in and walked back towards the bedroom. As he was about to turn the corner, his phone rang. Pulling it from his pocket, he glanced down at the screen.

 _Bill Bruford_

He let out a sigh as he threw his head back.

"Can we not have just _one_ moment of peace?"

He slid 'answer'.

"Good morning, Bill."

Nick kept a scowl plastered on his muzzle, but managed to keep his tone bright and cheery. There was a moment of silence as Nick listened.

"Yes sir. We'll be right there."

Nick walked to the guestroom, coming back with both their uniforms in hand.

"We need to go Carrots."

"Did they manage to find him?"

"No, but it seems he sure as hell found a roadblock."

* * *

Nick and Judy left their car parked on the shoulder of the road and walked towards the crime scene tape that had been stretched across the roadway. Nick lifted it with his paw and allowed Judy to cross under in front of him. As they approached, Bill turned and caught their gaze.

"He's over there." Pointing with a paw, Nick and Judy laid their eyes upon the covered body in the roadway. Hesitating at first, they both slowly made their way over. Nick was completely reluctant. Judy knew she would have to be the one to look under the sheet.

Lifting it up to peak underneath, her ears fell flat and her mouth struggled to find words. The bull's face had been torn apart from the force of the bullet, rendering him unrecognizable. His blood stained the asphalt underneath a deep crimson. As she stayed frozen in her place, Nick quickly ran to a ditch along the side of the road.

"Oh dear God…"

Nick buckled over and grabbed at his stomach with one paw, using the other to balance himself on the ground. As the image of the bull's face flashed back into his mind, he felt his insides lurch upwards. Unable to control it, he opened his mouth and violently vomited into the grass. It left a horrid taste in his mouth, as well as a drip of saliva hanging from his lip. After regaining his strength, he pulled himself up and spit any remaining vile in his mouth out.

"Nick, are you alright?" He hadn't noticed Judy had walked up behind him.

"Well considering I just tasted my breakfast again, I would say no." Judy put a paw on his back. As they walked back towards the scene, Judy could feel his body tense as he shuttered at the thought of corpse.

"It's alright Nick. It's perfectly normal to be disgusted by this."

"I'm not just upset that I puked, Carrots. I'm upset that someone was able to do this."

He stopped walking, causing Judy to stop as well. She looked up to see his face had gained a slight hint of anger to it.

"Do you know how demented someone has to be to take the life of an innocent animal? Whoever did this, I want to watch them suffer when we catch them."

As they continued walking, Judy came to the conclusion that it was best to not question Nick's remarks. She knew it was best to just let him sort out his own thoughts.

"Alright Bill, so what can you tell us?"

Bill let out a sigh. Doing his best to try and keep eye contact with them, Judy noticed that his eyes would occasionally dart back to the bloodied sheet lying in the road.

"I can tell you that Officer Emerson was one hell of a cop. He wasn't exactly a sociable creature, but I could see that past his tough exterior, he really did love about his job."

Judy watched as a tear began to form in the corner of his eye. He wiped it away before it could roll out.

"My apologies."

"It's perfectly fine Bill. If you need to take a moment, go right ahead."

"That's alright Hopps. I can maintain my composure."

He sucked in a deep breath, causing his chest to heave upwards. As he let it back out, he turned back to Nick and Judy.

"When we first arrived on scene, I thought that the only good thing, and I use the word _good_ lightly here, that could come out of this was catching the shooter on the dash cam of the cruiser."

He turned and walked towards a police car that was swarming with mammals wearing CSI jackets. Nick and Judy followed, both remaining deadly silent.

"But as you can see, the shooter took the fucking camera out."

Nick and Judy focused their attention to the interior part of the vehicle Bill had motioned to. The mount next to the rearview mirror where the camera had been attached was gone.

"Whoever shot Officer Emerson was smart enough to take the camera with him."

Nick stuck his head into the vehicle, doing his best to scan the interior for anything.

"I'm guessing that means the footage is gone too?"

"This is Bunny Burrow, Officer Wilde. When I say we have cameras installed in our vehicles, it's nothing more than a Go Pro attached to the windshield with a suction cup. You're lucky we're this sophisticated."

"So does this mean that we have absolutely nothing to go off of?" Nick pulled his head out, disappointment beginning to overcome him.

"I wouldn't say that just yet."

They all turned to face a pig who had walked up behind them. In her cloven hoof, she held a plastic bag that appeared to be empty.

"We found a hair sample in the vehicle. Whoever took the camera wasn't careful enough."

Judy's ears perked up at the new possibility of a lead.

"How soon can you have it tested?"

"We were hoping you and Officer Wilde could take it to the ZPD lab for us. That's where it was going to be sent anyway. We figured you two may want to take a quick trip back home."

Nick glanced down at Judy. He shrugged his shoulders and let one ear drop down.

"I'm up for it if you are Carrots."

"Sure, why not? It'll give us a chance to see Clawhauser again."

"You say that like it's a selling point."

* * *

Jack stepped out from his shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He slicked his ears back with a paw. Starring over his complexion in the mirror, he admired the black stripes that ran along his cheeks. Growing up, he had always been teased about the odd patterns in his fur. Now that he was grown, he thought that they looked intimidating.

"Oh no, that certainly will not suffice."

In the dense blackness of the stripes, he spotted a single gray hair. He pulled a pair of tweezers from the vanity and plucked it out.

"Only perfection is allowed."

Setting the tweezers back down, Jack looked himself over once more in the mirror. Finally satisfied, he continued to his bedroom. A fresh set of black slacks and a red collared shirt had been laid out on the bed. Removing the towel, he dressed himself. After smoothing out any wrinkles, he examined his ensemble in the mirror beside his bed. Suddenly he heard his phone began to ring. He quickly walked to the kitchen to where he had left it charging. Without looking at the number, he answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello Jackie. It seems you forgot to call me this morning." The voice spoke with the fragility of age.

"My apologies, mother. I got a bit sidetracked this morning."

Jack walked into his living room and sat down on his couch. Like every other piece of furniture in the house, the surface was free of any blemishes. The entire house was kept in a constant state of pure perfection. Any flaw that arose was quickly terminated to restore the home to a state of idealism.

"Just please don't let it happen again, Jackie. You know how much I worry about you."

Normally, he beat anyone who called him Jackie. His mother was the only mammal who could ever call him that. Jack crossed a leg onto the opposite knee. Reaching over to the coffee table on his side, he picked up the glass of scotch and took a sip.

"I promise mother. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

"So, how are things at work?"

"Oh, it's going very well. It looks like I'll be getting a raise within the next week."

"Will you use that raise to finally ditch that battered truck?"

Jack let out a small chuckle as he set his glass back down.

"I've told you before; I keep that truck for work use. You know I don't want to use my expensive sports car for daily work. It's called keeping the mileage down."

"Mileage down? I really doubt that you even drive it more than twice a year."

"I keep it in great condition."

"Just like everything else in your house. I swear, it's like you could perform surgery in there."

"Is it a crime to keep my house clean?"

Jack got up from the couch, picking up his glass of Scotch. He walked over to the large glass window that overlooked the woods. Being secluded seemed to be the only thing keeping him sane.

"All I'm saying is that if you spend your entire life obsessing over every little detail, it'll pass you by before you know it."

Jack took another sip from his glass as he scanned the tree line bordering his yard. Although he never expected to see anything, it never hurt to look.

"What you call obsessive, mother, I call keeping order."

There was a pause as the other end went silent. After a few seconds delay, his mother's voice came back. Only this time, it spoke with a touch of sadness.

"When can I see you again, Jackie?"

Jack took a moment to think. He emptied his glass and savored the flavor.

"How about this? I have some business to attend to this week. Would you like to come visit on the weekend?"

"I would really like that."

Although Jack couldn't see his mother on the other end, he knew that she was most likely shedding tears of joy.

"I'll come pick you up. Like you said; I never seem to drive my sports car."

"Thank you, Jackie. I love you."

"I love you too."

With that, Jack ended the call. He continued to stare out in the dense trees. His gelid blue eyes sat emotionless in his head.

 _One of these days, the scales of justice will be equal._

* * *

Nick and Judy walked through the front doors of the ZPD. Judy took in a deep breath, savoring the moment of returning to the familiar facility.

"Don't you just love being back here, Nick?"

"First off, we've been gone for what? Four days? And second, if you're asking whether or not I enjoy the intoxicating smell of pinesol, then the answer is no."

As they continued across the lobby, they gazed over at Clawhauser's desk. He locked eyes with them and donned a huge smile. Lifting one of his chubby paws up to his mouth, he pretended to lock his mouth and throw away the key. Nick shot him a thumbs-up as they entered the hallway towards the crime lab.

Judy gave him a playful punch in the arm.

"Like I said, we can trust Benji."

Nick shot her a playful grin.

"I never said we couldn't. I just said it was very unlikely that we could."

Reaching the door, Judy rapped on its surface. After a moment of silence, the door swung open to reveal a beaver holding a tray of test tubes.

"Officer Wilde, Officer Hopps? I thought you two were sent to work the possible arson case in Bunny Burrow."

"Yes Shelia, we were. But we have a hair sample we need you to run some tests on. We need the species, sex and also see if it matches anyone in our criminal record base. We have a feeling it's bunny, but it's always best to double check. Can you do that?"

The beaver took the plastic bag with a smile and placed it on top of her tray.

"If you and Officer Wilde can give me an hour, I'll have those results."

"Can do. We'll be waiting in our office."

Nick and Judy left the beaver to her work and returned to their office. Immediately upon opening the door, Nick threw himself down into his chair and let his head hang back.

"Taking the passenger seat on the drive here really seems to have worn you out." Judy sat at her desk and logged into her computer.

"Well since I didn't get a chance to nap this morning at your parent's house, this will have to do." Nick grabbed a book from his desk, opened it, and placed it over his eyes. Not long afterward, Judy heard him begin to snore. She just shook her head and smiled to herself.

"Now, let's see what we can find."

For the next hour, Judy spent her time reading through gossip websites. After the morning she had had, she felt deserving of a little break time. During that time, Delgato slipped his head into their office, having noticed the lights were on. Since she and Nick and been gone, not much had really happened. Although Delgato seemed bored out of his mind, Judy was glad that she had not missed any excitement. After he left, Judy turned back to her computer. Time went by slowly, and her patience only grew shorter. When the phone finally rang, she snatched it up before it could finish the first ring.

"Officer Hopps speaking."

"Hi Officer Hopps. I finished with that hair sample. So if you and Officer Wilde can come back down to the lab, I can give them to you."

"Thank you Sheila; we'll be right down!"

She powered down her computer and grabbed the jacket she'd left hanging on the back of her chair. Walking over to Nick, she placed a finger under his chin and began to scratch.

"Don't stop Carrots."

"It's time to get up Nick. Our sample is ready."

Nick lifted the book from his head and smacked his lips. Lifting his arms up, he stretched and let out a long yawn.

"Even sleeping in a hard office chair, I was still able to enjoy that."

"Well tonight we can hopefully get to bed early."

Judy turned to the door. As she almost crossed over the threshold, she felt Nick grab her arm. She was spun began into his hold, staring directly into his face.

"Maybe tonight we can finally do what I've been waiting for." Nick licked his lips and pinched her tail.

"You never miss an opportunity do you?"

"How could I ever resist?"

Nick pulled her up to his muzzle and locked lips with her. For the first time, she felt his tongue make its way inside her mouth. Although rough and dry, she felt as if she were tasting the forbidden fruit. Grabbing the back of his head with a paw, she pulled herself tighter against him. Using her other, she ran it through the soft fur of his neck. He moaned, feeling his throat vibrate under her touch. Finally separating, they both gasped for air.

"You really do know how to handle your girlfriends, don't you Mr. Wilde?"

Nick rubbed her nose with his as he let out a chuckle.

"It is my expertise."

" _Ahmmm_ "

Nick and Judy both looked up to find Chief Bogo starring at them through the open door. His mouth was twisted with rage. Both hooves were shaking at his side.

"Oh fu-"

" _My office_ … NOW!"


	14. Chapter 14

**This chapter uses the song 'Under My Thumb' by The Rolling Stones**

* * *

 **Chapter 14: The Great Deceiver**

"I will give each of you a minute to explain yourself."

Chief Bogo glared down at Nick and Judy from his desk. He stood high above them, casting a shadow of despair over them.

"I don't want to hear any excuses or hear you try to cover anything up. Do so, and you will _immediately_ find yourself fired. Do I make myself clear?"

They nodded, remaining as far apart from one another on the large chair they shared. Chief Bogo sat back down without breaking eye contact with either of them. After sitting down, he let a moment of awkward silence fill the air.

"Alright Wilde, you first." The sudden outburst caused Nick to jump. With his elbows placed upon the desk and hooves held together, he diverted his undivided attention to the fox.

Nick remained silent, only staring down at the floor. His ears were flat against the back of his head.

"Well Wilde?" Chief Bogo did his best to keep his voice down, but his booming tone was enough to rattle the windows in the room.

"I love her." Instead of look at Bogo, Nick turned and placed a paw on Judy's shoulder. A smile formed on his muzzle, and his ears began to perk up again.

"That's it?"

Nick remained silent and kept his eyes locked with Judy's.

"Alright fine, Wilde. It's your turn now, Hopps. What do you have to say?"

Judy continued her gaze with Nick.

"I love him."

Bogo's mouth contorted into a frown of deep aggravation.

"I knew this was going to be a waste of time." He stood up from his chair and walked to the door. Pulling it open with one hoof, he used the other motion outside to the hallway.

"I want both of you to leave. Hand me your badges on the way."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard exactly what I fucking said." Nick stepped down from his chair. Walking towards Bogo, his mouth turned into a frown burning with intense anger.

"Don't give me a stupid look. You know exactly what I said." Nick's lips had curled up when he spoke to reveal his fangs.

"You have a lot of nerve speaking to me like that you piece of sh-"

Nick reached up and moved Bogo's hoof away from his face.

"No, you're the one who has a lot of nerve."

Bogo's face had morphed from one of anger to one of utter disbelief.

"Listen here, _Chief_. From what I understand, you're willing to fire your best police officer and her partner. And why? Because they're dating."

"You know my policy about co-workers dating, Wilde. You're lucky that I haven't slammed you through a wall by now for talking down to me like this."

Nick held his paw up.

"Here's what I want from you. I want you to let me finish talking. If you still feel the need to fire us after I talk, then so be it."

Bogo opened to his mouth to argue, but Nick interrupted before a single word could escape.

"Good. Now, as I said earlier, I love Judy. And she loves me back just as much, if not more. I believe I speak for both us when I saw that we can spend the rest of our lives together."

Nick motioned for Judy to come stand next to him. Hesitant at first, she soon overcame it when she saw the comfort in Nick's eyes. She hopped down from the chair and stood to his side.

"I know you may not be able to see it Chief, but what I feel for Judy is love. Every time I look into her eyes, hold her tender paw, or kiss her, that deep desire to spend the rest of my life with her comes flooding back to me."

Nick grabbed hold of Judy turned her head to him. He locked lips with her. Her body was overcome with the sensation as she felt her body tingle. She wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled herself into his body. With a paw on his chest, she could feel his heartbeat rapidly increasing. If this was the act that would finalize Chief Bogo's decision to fire them, then Judy would have it no other way.

Finally separating, they maintained eye contact as their minds slowly returned to reality. Judy's gaze left the comfort of Nick's emerald eyes and turned to Chief Bogo.

"Both of you, sit down."

He slammed the door shut. Judy could tell that he was walking back to his desk, it was requiring all of his self-control to throw both of them through the window.

"I said _sit_ DOWN."

They both scrambled back into the large chair and sat at attention.

"Here's what I'm going to do. I'm not going to fire either of you."

Nick and Judy both shared a silent victory with a fist bump behind their backs.

" _But_ , that does not mean you have managed to nearly push me over the edge."

Nick gulped.

"So here are my guidelines if you two are to remain employed here. Number one: I expect this relationship to not, in any way, affect your work as police officers. You two are the best duo that has walked through that lobby in the history of the ZPD. The second I see either of your work begin to slip, you're out. Am I understood?"

They both nodded without uttering so much as a peep.

"Number two: I want both of you to keep this secret. Consider yourself lucky that I was the one that saw you two sucking face in your office. The last thing I want is for this to become the talk of the office. Soon enough, the media would find and make a field day with it. The Night Howler case was the last I want to see of television cameras for the rest of my life. Is that clear as well?"

Nick and Judy glanced at each other. Without speaking a single word, they were able to tell exactly what the other was thinking.

"I'm sorry Chief, we can't do that."

"Wilde, I am not going to compromise on this."

"Then we walk out that door."

Bogo leaned over his desk and shot Nick a glare. The vein over his temple was beginning to pulse through his fur.

"You. Wouldn't. _Dare_."

Nick crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh really? Try me. Judy has already told me she much rather leave her dream job than spend her life having to keep our love concealed."

"And you and I both know be can't be replaced. Let's also not forget about your fear of television cameras. If you were to fire Judy and I, the media would be on your ass day and night for being against inter-species relationships. Personally, I am fully aware that you are not against them and simply just don't want co-workers dating. But the media will plaster your name on the front page as being against relationships like ours. Those mammals sitting behind the anchor desk, it's not their job to report the full truth. It's their job to scew the story to the point that gets them the most viewers. So you can either go ahead and fire us and turn your name to mud, or you can listen to us. It's your choice."

Bogo almost let out a retort, but soon realized he had no case.

"Fine Wilde. But if your behavior causes other officers to begin dating and they let their work slip, I'll make sure to give _you_ all their paperwork after I fire them."

"Seems fair." Nick gave his signature conman grin while he relished in his victory.

"And I am going to be looking over every case you two turn in. I am very serious when I say that I better not see any sort of drop in quality. Clear?"

Nick and Judy both nodded.

"Good. Now from I understand, it appears you two have a possible lead in the case. Let's get to work. Dismissed."

They got down from the chair and walked towards the door. Nick gave Judy a grin, and she returned it with a squeeze of paw. As he opened the door for her, Bogo called back to them.

"Hopps, Wilde, one more thing."

"Yes sir?"

"I always had a feeling you two would end up together. Just make sure to keep pleasure separate from your work."

"Yes sir."

Nick shot him a smile, but the chief refused to return it. As he closed the door, Nick could tell that deep down in inside, he did want to give a small grin.

"Well, that turned out well." Judy wrapped her arms around Nick as soon as the door closed. "Just considered yourself _extremely_ lucky that your tough-guy move ended up working."

Nick gave her a quick kiss and motioned for her to follow him to the lab.

"I knew it would Carrots. I've always known that deep down inside, Buffalo Butt has been expecting for the day to come when an officer would finally grow the balls to stand up to him."

"Well I'm sure that he never expected that officer to be you."

"What can I say Carrots? I've got big balls."

Stopping in the middle of the hallway and making sure the coast was clear, he leaned down to her eye level.

"Maybe later tonight when we get back to Bunny Burrow, you'll be able to handle those big balls."

With a flick of her nose, he stood back straight and walked towards the lab.

* * *

"I still don't understand how you can live out here, Jack. Being without neighbors would drive me insane."

A brown bunny sat opposite Jack in his living room. Both held a glass of wine, sipping from it occasionally.

"Of course it seems strange to you, Mason. I just prefer to be isolated. With you being one of my only friends, you should understand that I really am not a sociable creature. Being alone really makes me feel at one with nature."

Taking a sip from his glass, Jack glanced out the large window and into the forest. No matter how many times he looked at it, the sheer beauty never ceased to amaze him.

"You never get lonely out here?"

"Oh no. The silence helps maintain my sanity."

Still holding his glass, Mason leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

"So how's that job of yours going?"

Jack swirled the white around his glass, watching the yellow-tinted liquid draw close to the lip of the glass.

"It's doing well. Why do you ask?"

"Well it's just a typical discussion question."

Jack cast him a glance of doubt.

"Oh come now, Mason. There's more to it than that."

Mason fell back into the couch.

"It just amazes me how you can afford all this, this luxury. How does a bunny who does landscaping for a living make this sort of money."

"My clients are mainly in the up-scale neighborhoods out towards the city. They pay quite well."

"I wish I could make this level of income trimming topiaries."

Jack's attention was diverted from the conversation as his phone rang. He set his wine glass down on the table. Pulling the phone from his pocket and reading the number, he turned back to Mason.

"Pardon me for my rudeness, but I really must be taking this call."

"Oh please, go right ahead. I needed to use the restroom anyway."

Jack nodded and walked to the back door. Once outside, Mason set down his glass next to Jack's and got up from the couch. He headed towards a hallway where the bathroom was located. As he neared the bathroom, a light caught his attention. A door that he had never paid much attention to was left open just a crack, causing a slit of light to escape. Reaching for the doorknob, he stopped short.

"No. Don't be invasive. Jack's has given you nothing but kindness. You don't need to do anything to upset him."

As he reached back to the doorknob of the bathroom, his curiosity got the best of him.

"Just a quick peak."

Mason opened the door all the way and stepped inside.

"What the hell?"

The wall facing the doorway was almost completely covered by a map of Bunny Burrow, as well as a few surrounding areas. As Mason stepped closer, he noticed a few red thumbtacks pressed into certain parts of the map. A post-it note was tacked onto the map under each thumbtack. Each one had an address, last name, and a date and time written on it with perfect penmanship. As he read each one, he began to notice a few of the names. The one that caught him by surprise was today's date.

 _17 Fields Avenue_

 _Levin_

 _8-11-2016 1:54 AM_

"Levin? Tony Levin?"

Mason's mind suddenly raced back to what he had heard on the radio this afternoon on the drive over.

" _At the top of the hour, the leading story remains to be another property fire. Assuming to be another fire to add onto the growing list, the flames at the Levin residence managed to engulf a barn. Luckily, the Bunny Burrow Fire Department managed to extinguish the blaze before it spread to other parts of the property. The BBPD is encouraging anyone with information to contact the authorities."_

Mason looked down to see the jerry can resting in a corner of the room.

" _The BBPD is encouraging"_

His gaze fell upon the Go Pro camera resting on table against the wall to his right.

" _anyone with information"_

The pistol resting next to the camera had been caked with dried blood.

" _to contact the authorities._ "

The image of his friend slowly began to deteriorate. Mason was left no longer with an innocent bunny, but a masterful deceiver who had managed to keep his twisted obsession under wraps.

"Oh dear God..."

Mason pulled his phone from his pocket. His nerves running rampant, he struggled to put in his password. After the third attempt, it unlocked and he opened up the phone application. With his fingers hovering over the buttons, he suddenly felt a sharp pain at the back of his head. His phone fell to the ground as white spots began to blur the corners of his vision. After collapsing to the ground with nothing to break his fall, his vision began to fade out.

"Nobody likes a snitch."

The last image he was left with his phone being smashed by a metal pipe.

* * *

As his vision slowly began to return, Mason found himself sitting back in the living room. He shifted in his place, and suddenly heard a soft crinkle. Looking down, he saw that the couch had been covered in a protective layer of plastic. The floor had also been completely covered by a blue tarp.

"What the hell?"

As he went to scratch the back of his head, he was met with an aching pain.

"Oh sweet Lord!"

He cradled his head in his paws, finding no relief to his burning skull. Suddenly, he felt a prick in his arm.

"Just calm down."

Jack pulled the needle from his arm and set it down on the couch next to Mason. Suddenly, he began to feel his body ache. His arms fell to his side, rendered useless.

"What I just gave you was a neuromuscular blockade."

Jack stepped into his field of view. He had now put on a navy suit and slicked his ears back. Leaning down to the coffee table, he picked up both wine glasses and finished each one off in a swift gulp. The entire time, he kept his eyes locked on Mason.

"Within the next minute, you should no longer be able to move."

He walked over to the kitchen adjacent to the living room. No longer able to so much as crane his neck, Mason followed Jack with his eyes.

"Normally this drug can cause permanent side effects. But in your case, I wouldn't see the need to fret about that."

Mason watched as Jack slipped a clear plastic raincoat over his suit. He carefully buttoned it up and pulled his ears up over the collar.

"Wha aree youbbss…"

Jack turned back and laughed as if he had just heard a terrible pun.

"It appears the drug has emobilized your ability to speak."

Mason watched in horror as Jack leaned over the countertop and lifted up an axe. Carrying it in one paw, Jack dragged the polished steel head across the hardwood floor. The scrapping noise echoed throughout the house.

"You know, Mason, it really is a crying shame that you had to go snooping. I really didn't want to kill again today, but you've left me with no other choice."

Jack walked over to the shelf underneath his television. Plugging his phone into a speaker, he began to play music.

 **Begin 'Under My Thumb'**

" _Under my thumb"_

" _The girl who once had me down"_

"I know that no one looks forward to dying, so I thought you may enjoy some music. It's the least I can do to pay you back for your friendship. After all, I'm not a _complete_ monster."

" _Under my thumb"_

 _"The girl who once pushed me around"_

Jack ran at Mason with the axe raised high above his shoulder. The last image Mason saw was the sight of Jack's face contorted into a demented grin.

" _It's down to me!"_

Jack's face was splattered with blood, the sheer force at which it escaped causing it to fly onto the window behind him. His eyes twitched nervously as he took in his actions. The axe had buried its blade deep into Mason's chest. Jack watched in glee has the light from Mason's eyes flickered out. Feeling a drip of blood travel down his cheek, Jack stuck out his tongue at licked it up. His lip curled upwards into a twisted grin as a chill ran through his veins.

" _Bleed_ for me…"

Jack ripped the axe out, soon bringing it down with all his might into Mason's head. More blood shot onto him as the full force of the impact caused a cracking sound to echo throughout the room. Still warm from his body, Mason's blood ran down the handle of the axe and onto Jack's paws. He let out a manical cackle as his body trembled with the feeling of warm blood seeping into his fur. Raisng the axe up one last time, his eyes grew wide with insanity.

" _Bleeeed_ for me!"

Staring into the roaring fire, Jack smoked a cigarette. He had hurried with Mason's body out into the middle of the woods. Placing it into a predug pit, he made quick work of soaking its entirety in gasoline. As the flames peaked over the top of the pit, Jack continued to stare out into the sunset he could make out through the trees. Hiding behind his pair of sunglasses, his pale blue eyes burned with an internal passion. The right side of his face was still coated with the now dry blood of his best friend. Although he had removed the raincoat and changed clothes before leaving the house, he wanted to feel the dried blood caked into his fur a little bit longer.

"I had hoped to quench my thirst for blood today, Mason. It's just a crying shame you forced me to make you part of it."

With the flames finally beginning to die down, Jack tossed the butt of his cigarette into the pit. He picked up a shovel and began to scoop dirt inside. The smell of freshly dug soil mixed with the smell of gasoline still lingering in the air.

" _Down to me, the change has come, She's under my thumb_ …"

Jack sang to himself, knowing full well that nature was his only audience.


	15. Chapter 15

**WARNING: There is graphic sexual content in this chapter. If you wish to skip it, you can read the last scene.**

 **Chapter 15: Walk On... No Pussyfooting**

Nick and Judy trudged through the front door of the Hopps' home. After the long drive back from the city, they both moved slowly. As they headed towards the hallway and the guest bedroom, they were stopped by Stu calling from the living room.

"Hey Jude the Dude! How'd everything go at the ZPD?" Stu remained in his armchair, but managed to turn to face them.

Judy thought it best to not mention their encounter with Bogo.

"Everything went fine. The lab gave us back the test results. It turns out that the mammal who shot the officer at the roadblock was also a male rabbit. Although it didn't match any records already in our system, it's better than nothing. We're assuming from here-on-out that the rabbit spotted at the fire was the same on who shot Officer Emerson."

"I would say that's good, but there's nothing good about all this."

"It's a step closer to justice."

"That works."

Stu turned back to the book he had left open. Bonnie stepped out from the kitchen still holding a mixing bowl.

"Dinner should be about twenty-five minutes."

"Alright, well Judy and I are going to go take a nap. Just come knock on the door when it's time."

"Sure thing." Bonnie turned back to the kitchen, the sound of a food processor soon reaching Nick and Judy's ears.

Judy looked up to question Nick's statement, but was met with a wink. Letting herself play along with his plan, they walked down the hallway and entered the guest bedroom.

Judy flopped herself down on the bed and let out a long sigh.

"I've been wanting to sleep ever since we left the station."

Nick walked over and pounced onto the bed. Hovering over Judy, he let his face hang less than an inch from hers.

"I didn't come back here to sleep."

Nick grabbed Judy and flipped them both over, leaving her straddling his stomach.

"You sly fox. But my parents are still home."

Nick smirked and put his paws under shirt. The soft fur of her stomach had become his greatest weakness.

"I don't care. We'll just have to keep quiet."

"You seriously can't just wait until tomorrow when they all go to the farmers' market?"

"Tomorrow? You're lucky I didn't plow you over your desk at the ZPD."

Judy scratched under his chin with, causing him to let out a soft moan.

"Could you imagine if Bogo had caught us? He probably would have skinned us."

"That's it. I've had enough talk."

Nick grabbed her and pulled her down to his lips. As he kissed her, she could feel him beginning to unbutton her uniform. When the separated, Judy immediately began to undo his uniform as well.

"You have no idea how long I've been wanting this." Nick breathed heavily as Judy tore his shirt open and dug her paws into his fur.

"Oh really?" She paused her actions and locked eyes with him. "How about a little bet?"

"What kind of bet are you talking about?"

Judy ran a finger down his chest and around his stomach. She made herself proud knowing nick tensed under her touch.

"Whoever's been waiting the longest gets satisfied first. Deal?"

"Am I really supposed to trust a horny little bunny?"

"We'll use the honor system."

"Fair enough."

Judy pushed herself forward on his body. He head now hovered his, causing him to be trapped under her sleek form.

"So Nick, how long have you been dying for this?"

"Two and a half months?"

"Seriously?" Judy chuckled. "I've been wanting this for just over three weeks."

Nick caressed the back of her head, soon moving on to massaging the base of her ears.

"Sounds to me like you had it easy."

"I had it _easy_? What made it so difficult for you?"

"Let's just say that there were many nights I would have to pretend my own paw was yours."

"You _pleasured_ yourself to me?"

Doing her best to look completely repulsed by the admission, Nick could tell she was almost flattered.

"What? Did the horny little bunny not do the same?"

Judy turned her head way. After a moment of pause, she turned back and held Nick's paw.

"I actually haven't. Believe it or not, this actually my first time."

"Well yeah. I didn't think you'd ever been interested in another fox until I came around."

"No Nick. I mean this my _first_ time."

Nick's smile vanished as a sudden flame of passion was ignited in his eyes.

"You mean…"

"Yes Nick. I'm a virgin, and I want you to be my first one."

Judy buried her face into the fur of his neck and inhaled deeply. His musk had only been growing in strength since they entered the room. At the sudden admittance of her virgin state, Nick's scent strengthened greatly.

"I hope you understand that by comparison, I'm a filthy creature."

"I don't care."

Judy lifted herself up and scooted back on Nick's body. She now straddled his thighs, his crotch directly in front of her.

"All I care about now is that I'll be the only mammal you'll be sleeping with from this point on."

Judy ran a paw over the fur of his stomach. She felt his muscles contract under her touch. He let a moan escape his throat, making sure to keep it at a low volume.

"Just relax and let me do all the work."

Judy gazed down at the ever-increasing size of Nick's bulge. Hardly able to control herself, Judy hastily undid his belt buckle and popped the button on his pants. She undid the zipper and stuffed a paw inside. Only having felt it through the thick fabric of Nick's jeans a few nights prior, she felt herself tremble as she felt it through the thin layer of his boxers.

"For such a scrawny mammal, you really do pack a lot."

Nick tilted his head up from the pillow.

"And I'm not even fully hard yet. Considering that I'm above average size for a fox, a small bunny like you is certainly in for a treat."

Judy stroked Nick's cock through his boxers, feeling the intense heat radiating from it. As she worked it, she could feel it growing harder with each passing second.

"Are you ready?"

Although Nick tried to appear calm, his eyes burned with the intense yearning of her direct touch. She pulled his pants off, and he quickly removed his shirt and threw it to the ground. Left only with his boxers, Judy stared in amazement at his fully erect shaft outlined in his blueberry boxers.

"Go ahead. I want you to fulfill my fantasies."

Judy grabbed the hem of his boxers and slowly peeled them down. As she pulled them down, her mouth dropped open at the sight of Nick's massive cock.

"And when I get a boner at the police station, it isn't easy trying to hide that thing."

Judy grabbed hold it, taken aback by how soft and warm the surface felt. With both paw's wrapped around its tremendous girth, Judy began to slowly stroke it. She only stroked the top half at first, making sure to give extra attention to his tip. Each motion caused Nick to emit a soft groan of pleasure. She began to pick up speed and began to move further down his length. As her motions picked up, Nick began to slowly gyrate his hips. Slowly, a few drops of pre cum secreted from his tip and slid down on Judy's paw. Using it to her advantage, she rubbed the substance into her palm. She found that his shaft now slid easily in her grip.

"Oh my God… please… don't stop…"

Judy glanced up from her servicing to see Nick's head thrown back into his pillow.

"Uuunngghhh… keep going Carrots…"

His eyes were closed, and Judy watched as they slowly began to tighten. His muzzle began to open as panting began. The upward thrusts of his hips only increased as she could feel him growing tenser. Every time her paws slid back up to his tip, she felt his cock throb. As it throbbed, his mouth would open wider and his stomach would roll.

"I think you deserve a little more than this."

Still keeping his eyes shut, Nick's voice trembled as he spoke.

"Do _whatever_ you want…"

With a smile of satisfaction, Judy took his tip and placed it into her wide open mouth. Even with her mouth fully open, Nick's immense size still stretched her mouth to its limits. As he entered her, she could hear him moan again. This one was louder than all the others, but was still quiet enough to not be heard through the walls or door.

"Take me away Carrots…"

With one paw still maintaining a grip on his cock, Judy used her mouth to service the top half and that paw to service the bottom half. With her free one, she began to fondle his balls.

"Oooohhh… my _God_ …"

Judy looked up to see Nick's tongue hanging from his wide open mouth. His breath had now become rapid. Gripping the bedsheets tightly in both paws, he thrusted violently.

"I'm almost there Carrots… just don't stop…"

Judy now squeezed his balls tightly. With her mouth as far down as she could go, she violently jerked him with the other paw still on his shaft. More precum had been secreted from his tip, and now leaked from her mouth and dribbled down his shaft.

"Oh God Judy… I'm gonna cum…"

With one final violent thrust upwards, Nick's muscles contracted. Judy felt his load blast into the back of her throat. The warm liquid tasted salty along with a hint of something Judy couldn't put her finger on.

"Aaahhhh…."

As Nick slowly began to climb down from his climax, Judy released his cock from her mouth. It landed with a soft thud on his stomach. A small amount of his seed still seeped out from the tip and puddled on the fur of his stomach.

"Oh my God, Judy… I've never came that hard before…"

Nick crossed his arms under his head and used them to prop himself up. Gazing into Judy's eyes, he found her staring back at him.

"I never could have imagined that _that_ is what cum would taste like."

Nick chuckled and used the bedsheets to wipe the cum that puddled on his stomach.

"And you swallowed. I never once had a girlfriend who was able to do that."

Judy's ears blushed a deep crimson.

"I thought it would be insulting if I didn't."

"Insulting? It's an honor to have your partner swallow your load. For this being your first time Carrots, you really did a fantastic job."

Judy crawled up Nick's body. Gripping the back of his head, Judy pulled him into a kiss. This time, she was the first to use her tongue. It wrapped around his, his paws no wrapping around her and pulling her down onto his chest. When they finally broke contact, both were gasping for air.

"I love you Nick."

"I love yo-"

Nick's phone rang, cutting off his sentence. He rolled his eyes and reached over for it.

 _Bill Brufford_

"Damn it. He always manages to ruin something."

Judy rubbed her paws on his chest, doing her best to soothe him.

"Oh come on, Nick. It's not his fault. He has no way of knowing."

"I know, I know" Nick let out with a sigh.

Swiping the screen, he put the phone up to his ear.

"Hello?"

There was a moment of pause. Judy could faintly hear chatter calming from the device, but was unable to make it out.

"I suppose so."

Another pause.

"No Chief. It really is no problem. Alright, good night."

After chucking the phone against the wall, Nick threw his head back and let out a long moan.

"What's wrong Nick?"

"He asked if we could cover Chief Emerson's shift tonight."

Judy tickled his stomach, causing his mood to lighten up slightly.

"I don't really see the problem with that."

"The shift is from 6 in the afternoon to 3 in the morning. Still don't see a problem?"

"Oh fuck, come on."

"I knew the potty mouth would eventually return."

Nick stood up from the bed and began to dress himself again.

"I'm sorry Carrots, but you'll have to wait until later."

As Nick button his shirt back up, Judy got off the bed and began to dress herself as well. After both were fully in uniform again, Judy snuck up behind Nick and pinch his tail.

"If I'm going to have to wait, then you better make me cum twice as hard as you did."

"So much for being the pure virgin."

* * *

As Nick and Judy drove towards their designated patrol point, Nick scanned the farms that passed by.

"Hey Carrots, do you see that smoke coming from the trees in the distance?"

Maintaining her concentration on the road, Judy laughed it off.

"Yeah I see it too. But I wouldn't worry about it Nick. Some of the people out here like to burn off their trash. It may be illegal, but it's not worth spending the gas money to go out there and fine them. We typically just let them be."

Nick continued to stare at the small pillar rising from the tree line as it vanished into the air.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: Dangerous Curves**

"Alright Nick. It's your turn to ask."

Nick took a sip from his cup and placed it back in the cup holder. He wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his uniform, not really caring at this point if it got messed up. The care he used to take in his outward appearance had been slaughtered on the way home from the ZPD.

"Fine Carrots. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"I should have guessed."

Nick turned back to face out the windshield as he thought of the perfect question. The sun had set already, but some pink rays still peeked over the horizon.

"You said back at the house that you've never touched yourself. So when you bunnies go into heat, how do you stop yourself?"

Judy's ears lowered and the insides began to turn pink.

"I changed my mind."

Nick waved a finger in front of her face and made a clicking sounds with his tongue.

"Oh no, I don't think so. You made your choice. So answer it."

Judy threw her head back violently in the headrest. After letting out a sigh, she turned back to Nick.

"I take these special pills. They help suppress my hormones. Although it does a good job getting rid of most of the desire, there's still a little bit that's always left. So when that little bit starts to nag at me, I typically just go workout. I find that my body and mind shut up when I abuse them by running or lifting weights."

Nick nodded his head and gave a look of understanding.

"That's pretty good Carrots. I've always wondered how you managed to keep that tight little ass in shape."

Judy snorted and caused her drink to spray onto the floor mats. After recovering from her sudden laugh attack, Judy turned back to Nick.

"You never miss an opportunity."

"Why would I?"

After wiping herself and the floor with a paw full of napkins, Judy turned her attention back to Nick.

"Alright then Mr. Horny Fox, truth or dare?"

"Give me a second to think."

Nick turned his attention to the plastic container sitting in his lap. Having left in a hurry, Bonnie had packed their dinner to go. He devoured another bite of the eggplant parmesan. After savoring the taste, he turned back to Judy and spoke with his mouth still full.

"Let's do truth."

Judy took the last bite of her meal and set the empty container on the dashboard.

"Have you ever… done it… in a car?"

Nick choked a little on his food. After regaining his bearings, he laughed while grabbing his stomach.

"What's so funny?"

"What's funny", Nick asked while wiping a tear away from his eye. "Just that you sound like a child when say 'doing it'. Is there really nothing else you can think to call it?"

Judy scrunched her nose and placed her paws on her hips.

"And just what exactly would you call it?"

Nick straightened his tie as if he were a college professor preparing to give a lecture. Turning to face Judy, he cleared his throat.

"Let's see. We can call it fucking, plowing, railing, intercourse, going at it, bonking, mattress dancing, nailing, churning butter, hitting a home run, tapping, shagging, making kits…"

"Alright, I've heard enough!"

Judy pulled her ears downs and used them to cover her face.

"What's the matter Carrots? Did that impurify your virgin ears?"

Nick leaned over and licked her cheek.

"Does the thought of us attempting to make kits _embarrass_ you?"

Judy let go of her ears, causing them to spring back up to attention. She leaned over the center console and placed a paw on Nick's chest. Given her small size, she had to basically put her entire body on top of it to reach him.

"Now listen here. I am _not_ embarrassed by that thought. I just still find it a little weird to talk about."

Nick cocked an eyebrow and raised one ear higher than the other. His conman grin had once again returned to his muzzle.

"Why should talking about that bother you at all? It seems that after what happened back at the house, you would have no problem talking about my massive co-"

Nick was interrupted by the sound of a vehicle coming up the road. They broke their eye contact and turned to face the nearing source of the noise. After a few seconds, a battered truck passed by. With Nick and Judy's vehicle being hidden behind a thick row of bushed, they knew the driver hadn't seen them.

"Did you see that too, Carrots?"

Judy started the engine. She found the switch under the steering column and flipped on the hidden lights.

"Yup, I saw it. Looks like they had an expired inspection sticker."

"Is it really worth going after Carrots?"

"If I don't have a little excitement tonight, then I'll guess we'll just have to spend the whole night discussing our deepest feelings."

"Go get 'em."

The car turned out onto the road and quickly caught up to the truck. Trailing close behind, Judy turned on the siren.

"To be honest, I wasn't expecting to actually issue a ticket tonight."

As Judy put the car in park and unbuckled her seatbelt, she turned to Nick and gave him a puzzled look.

"What makes you say that?"

"Like Bill said, the fires seem to be the only real action that goes on in this hick town."

Judy paused as she reached for the door handle.

"Hey now, he never called it a hick town."

Nick flipped down his shades and unbuckled his seatbelt as well. Giving himself one final look over in the mirror, he turned back to Judy and flashed her a smile.

"No he didn't. But I could tell that deep down inside, that's what he wanted to say."

They both got out, closed their doors with a thought, and made their way to the truck.

Jack's mind raced as the blue and red flashing lights appeared in his rearview mirror.

"Oh fuck…"

 _This is it Jack. There's nowhere you can run._

He pulled the truck over to the side of the road and cut off the engine.

 _You'll have to live with that expensive liquor cabinet and get used to prison food._

The doors to the cop car opened. A fox and bunny stepped out and began to walk in his direction.

 _It's almost guaranteed the guards won't let me bring in my own toiletries_

There was a tap on the glass. Jack snapped from his thoughts to find the bunny motioning for him to roll down his window.

"Good evening, sir. License and registration please."

"Yes officer."

Jack reached into the glove compartment and pulled out what Judy had asked for. As he handed it all to her and she scanned the documents, a thought popped into his mind.

 _Why would they have any reason to suspect me of anything?_

"Alright, registration looks good."

 _It's not like they were hunting me down. I've just been pulled over for a random traffic stop._

"I'm glad you carry an up-to-date proof of insurance."

 _After she scans my license, I'll just be on my way. Then I can continue to… to… oh yes. That's right. The Gilmour's farm. Low-life bastards really deserve what's coming to them._

"Alright, well everything seems to be in check. Were you aware that your inspection sticker was expired?"

 _Really Jack? Of all things to forget? Damn it, get your fucking act together._

"No officer, I was not."

Judy handed him back the insurance and registration paperwork.

"You can get a new one at most car repair places in town. It shouldn't be that expensive. We'll let you off with a warning since you seemed to have everything else very well organized."

"Thank you officer."

 _Damn right you better let me off._

"I just need to go scan your license and then you can be on your way. Officer Wilde, can you please stand by the car?"

Nick didn't say a word or move. As Judy walked back to the car to input the information into the computer Bill had loaned them, Nick kept his gaze on Jack. Behind the sunglasses he wore, Nick's eyes were burning with fear. As Jack stared straight ahead and tapped his fingers on the outside of the door, Nick pulled out his phone and quickly sent Judy a text.

 _He looks like the sketch_

There was a pause before Nick felt his phone vibrate in his paw.

 _I thought the same thing._

 _Didn't really know if you thought so too._

Judy walked back from the car, keeping her eyes locked with Nick's the entire time. As she passed him to give Jack back his license, Nick leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"Keep your finger on the trigger."

Judy handed Jack his license.

"Thank you officer. Have a nice day."

As Jack went to start his engine, he was stopped.

"Not so fast."

 _Shit. Now what?_

"May I ask why you have three cans of gasoline in the bed of this truck?"

 _You forgot to cover them, didn't you Jack?_

"Oh, yes officer. I'm a landscaper."

Jack looked back to see Nick observing the cans. He had lifted his shades and was now studying them extremely closely.

"I need to make sure there's no illegal substances in these."

As Nick begab to unscrew the cap to the first can, Judy pulled her tranquilizer gun and pointed it into the open window of the truck.

"Sir, I need you to step out the vehicle with your paws up."

 _Damn it._

"Of course officer."

 _Don't let this be the beginning of the end._

"I said _paws up_ sir."

Jack did as he was told and raised both paws. Stepping out to face her, his thoughts immediately ran to the knife he kept in his pocket.


	17. Chapter 17 Part I

**Chapter 17: Exiles, Part 1**

Jack opened the door and stepped one foot outside of the vehicle.

"Really Nick? I apologize Mr. Savage, but if you're going to be getting out the vehicle, I'll need you to keep your paws visible. My partner seems to have forgotten _basic_ protocall."

As Judy put emphasis on the word 'basic' she made sure to give Nick a harsh look.

"Of course officer."

Jack let go of the pistol and let it slide down to the bottom of his pocket. As he stepped out with his paws in full view, Nick turned back to face him and motioned to the bed of the truck.

"As I was asking, Mr. Savage, can you please come open these for me?"

Jack leaned over the bed and unscrewed the cap on the first container. He slid it towards Nick, motioning for it to be inspected. Nick leaned down, glanced at the contents inside, and took a whiff of the fumes escaping.

"Smells like nothing but diesel. Alright, open the next one."

As Jack began to put the cap back on, Nick felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. At first ignoring it, he decided to pull it out when he caught Judy nodding for him to do so. He turned on the screen and read the message.

 _This distraction won't last forever. What can we arrest him on?_

Nick quickly typed a response.

 _I don't know, but I feel the arsonist is getting away if he drives off._

He gave his attention back to Jack as he slid the second open can to him.

"Alright, this one's clean too. Open the last one and we'll be done here."

Turning to Judy, he shrugged his shoulders and gave a look of both confusion and worry. She returned it, both at a complete loss.

"Last one officer."

Nick inspected the contents and slid the canister back to Jack.

"They're all clean, you're free to go. Stay safe now."

Jack turned and put the cap back on, keeping his smile hidden from Nick and Judy. They both turned and began to walk towards their car. Keeping their voices at a low volume, they both spoke with a burning tone of worry.

"What the hell do we do Carrots? He's going to get away and there's nothing we can arrest him on."

"I don't know Nick. There just has to be something we can get him on, not just fine him. Every criminal has a flaw."

Judy turned and gave Jack a final look. As she watched him turn and walk to the door, she inspected his attire. Her attention immediately went to the obvious shape of a gun in his pocket.

"Oh my God… That's it!"

Judy stopped dead in her tracks, causing Nick to do the shame. She began walking back towards the truck, outstretching her paw as she spoke.

"Excuse me, Mr. Savage?"

Jack paused as he reached for the door handle.

 _Fuck, now what?_

"Yes officer?"

"Is that a firearm I see outlined in your pocket?"

Jack froze, doing his best to conceal the horror from burning in his eyes. He felt his heartbeat begin to race. At first struggling to mutter any word, he quickly regained his bearings and managed to keep his cool.

"Yes it is officer."

Judy placed her paw palm-up in front of him. With her other, she held up her tranquilizer and kept it focused on Jack's chest.

"I need to see it, if you please."

Jack reached into his pocket and pulled the pistol out. He placed it in her palm. As Judy began to look it over, she kept the tranquilizer gun pointed on Jack.

"This is a legal firearm, correct?"

"Yes officer, it is."

"And do you have a permit for this firearm? I hope you realize that in Bunny Burrow, you are allowed to open carry a firearm as long as you have a permit for it."

 _Fucking shit…_

"Answer me, Mr. Savage. Do you or do you not have a permit for this firearm?"

Jack tried to utter an excuse, but only stumbled over his own words. The only sounds that came from his mouth where squeaks.

"I'm going to take that as a no, Mr. Savage."

Judy turned and gave Nick the pistol. Afterwards, she turned back to Jack as she pulled a pair of handcuffs from his waistband.

"Alright Mr. Savage, you're under arrest for the possession of a firearm without a permit. I need you to put your paws behind your back and get against the truck."

Unable to come up with any other alternative, Jack did as he was told and bent over the hood of his truck. Judy walked behind him and opened the cuffs.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be us-"

Jack kicked with all his might into Judy's stomach, causing her to drop the cuffs and double over in pain.

"Judy!" Nick pulled out his tranquilizer gun and fired. The first shot missed as Jack ran and jumped. Using his momentum, he kicked Nick in the chest and flattened him onto the ground. Nick let out a loud gasp as the wind was violently evicted from his lungs.

"C-… Ca-… Carrots…"

Nick struggled to regain his strength from the sudden impact, barely able to lift his head up from the ground. Through his blurred vision, Nick watched as Jack hopped back into his truck and started the engine.

"Freeze…" Nick let out as he still struggled to regain regular breathing.

Shakily lifting his arm, he cocked the hammer on Jack's confiscated pistol and fired into the rear windshield. As the engine roared to life and Jack began to speed off, Nick heard the sound of glass shattering, followed by Jack letting out a yell of pain.

"Shoot the tires Nick!"

Judy had finally found the ability to stand back up, although her attempt to run was slow and pointless. Her arm was pressed tightly into her stomach, doing almost nothing to stop the suffering. Nick fired again, managing to pierce the rear left tire. The truck swerved slightly in the road, but was quickly straightened.

"Get the car Carrots!"

Nick stood up, having to use his arms pressing on his knees to pull himself up. Judy pushed herself to the limit as she quickly made her way to the vehicle. The entire way, she was still gripping her stomach. Climbing in and quickly starting the engine, Judy pulled the car up to meet Nick as he hobbled in her direction. He opened the door and threw himself into the seat. As Judy floored the gas pedal and took off after Jack, Nick reached onto his shoulder and unclipped his radio.

"Bill?"

There was a momentary sound of static until Bill's deep voice answered.

"Yes, Officer Wilde?"

Nick watched as the truck turned onto the highway, fishtailing as Jack tried to keep the truck moving at a high speed. Judy turned the wheel sharply, causing the tires to emit a piercing shriek into the air and the smell of burned rubber into the car

"We believe we have the arson suspect's identity. His name is Jack Savage. He assaulted Officer Hopps and I and fled the scene. Suspect is currently driving a rusted white pickup southbound on highway 27."

As they drew close behind the truck, Nick noticed that Jack was occasionally rubbing his shoulder. Blood was starting to seep into the white fabric of his shirt.

"I'll call all my officers and alert them. They'll come from the north and set up a roadblock. Can you give me your location?"

Nick looked out the window to watch a green sign whizz by.

"We just passed exit 16. And it also appears that the subject has an injury to his right shoulder."

"Injury?"

"He assaulted Officer Hopps and me as we tried to detain him. The first thought that came to mind was that I still had his illegal firearm in my paw. So I used it to fire a shot at the subject threw his rear windshield. I also managed to make a shot into his rear left tire. It's flat now, but he's managing to keep control of his vehicle. Considering the high speed he's traveling at, I'm surprised it hasn't been shredded yet."

Nick was met with silence as Bill left the line. After a minute, his voice came back through.

"I just dispatched ten officers and they'll be setting up a roadblock at exit 20. That's about seven miles from you."

"Hold on Bill."

Jack suddenly swerved into the exit lane, gunning it and speeding up as fast as he could with the flat tire.

"Bill, he's taking exit 18…"

"I'll redirect the officers your way."

He hung up and Nick clipped the radio back onto his uniform. Looking over at Judy, he found that she was donning the same expression of confusion.

"Where the hell is he going" Nick asked as he continued to watch the truck.

"Nick… I need you to pull up Jack's information. It should still be on my laptop from when I scanned his license." Judy spoke with pain in her voice, still gripping her midsection.

Nick pulled the device from the center console and opened the lid.

"Alright, I have it up, Carrots. What do you need me to find?"

"I need you to find…" Judy paused and her eyes wide. Suddenly, she let go of the wheel. Nick quickly grabbed it with a free paw and kept them straight. Judy threw her head between her legs and vomited onto the floor mat.

"Oh my God, Judy!"

Nick quickly diverted his eyes from the road to see her wipe a hanging bit of saliva from her upper lip.

"It's alright Nick… that kick to my stomach just really screwed me up."

She lifted her head back up and put a paw on the wheel. Nick slowly let go and let her regain control.

"Are you sure it's all out of your system?"

Judy nodded, her head feeling light from the sudden violent expelling of her stomach contents.

"I'm… *gag* sure… Now, I need you… to find Jack's home address."

Nick took a moment and glanced over the information on the screen. As he did, he would occasionally steal a glance at Judy to make sure he didn't need to take the wheel again.

"Here it is. It says he lives at 1 Forest Boulevard."

"So that's it."

Nick looked up from the screen and pondered Judy's remark.

"That's it? What do you mean?"

Judy turned the car sharply as Jack took a corner onto a side road. Nick glanced out the window to see a weathered street sign flash by.

"Forest Boulevard…"

"Just as I thought; he's going home." Judy kept her focus on the vehicle ahead.

After about a quarter mile of following Jack, the road left its claustrophobic way through the tight trees and into a clearing.

"Why would he lead us to where he lives" Nick asked as Judy brought the car to a stop and killed the engine.

"He's not stupid. He wanted us to follow him here."

They watched as the truck screeched to a halt in an open garage, the door quickly closing behind it.

"He wants us to follow him inside."

Judy walked to the back of the vehicle. Although most of her stomach pains had subsided, it still caused her some irritation. Popping the trunk open, she lifted the liner up and revealed two semi-automatic firearms hidden beneath. She lifted both out and threw one to Nick as he walked to meet her.

"Wait until back up gets here. Then we'll proceed inside."

Jack quickly ran into his kitchen and threw open a cabinet. Reaching in, he pulled out a first aid kit.

"Damn fox."

He pulled out a canister of rubbing alcohol and set it down on the countertop. Ripping his shirt open, he examined his shoulder in the reflection of the oven. The bullet had managed to graze the top of his shoulder before leaving through the front windshield. Although it hadn't fully penetrated his body, it had still managed to tear a large gash in his flesh.

"Damn fox… You're going to fucking pay for this."

Jack winced in pain as he leaned over the sink and poured rubbing alcohol over the wound to sterilize it. He then walked back to the first aid kit and pulled out a roll of gauze. Slipping it under his arm, he wrapped it around to protect his exposed flesh until he could receive proper medical attention. He clipped the end and tucked it under the wrap. Walking out of the kitchen and towards the front windows, he could see other police cars arriving up front.

"I supposed this is the beginning of the end."

Jack walked over to his liquor cabinet and pulled out his favorite bottle of Scotch. He poured it into a tumbler and sealed the bottle back. With glass in hand, he walked back to the window. The cops had now excited their vehicles and were now congregating around Nick and Judy. She pointed towards the house. Jack watched as her mouth fired away, assuming they were discussing strategy since he couldn't hear a word.

"That's right boys…"

Jack emptied the glass in one gulp and gently rested it down on top of the liquor cabinet.

"Come and get me."


	18. Chapter 17 Part II

**Chapter 17: Exiles, Part 2**

"Palmer?"

A sheep holding an assault rifle turned to face Judy.

"Yes Officer Hopps?"

"I need you, Officer Lake, and Officer Emerson to go around the back of the property and make a sweep."

The sheep turned towards his fellow officers, but Judy stopped him with a loud cock of her gun.

"Keep in mind that this is a contemporary house, which means there are a lot of windows. Do your best to keep away from them. I don't want Mr. Savage to be given a chance to kill another officer."

Officer Palmer gave Judy a quick salute. Turning and gathering the two wolves waiting for him, they hurried around the side of the house and vanished around the rear. After he was gone, Judy took a quick glance up at the sky. Night had fully come, bringing with it the breathtaking array of stars. Judy wished she could just sit on the hill back home and enjoy the view with Nick, but that wasn't going to happen. She turned to three razorbacks, all patiently awaiting her guidance.

"I need you three watching the front door and garage in case he tries to make an escape."

With that, the three left. Judy now turned to the four remaining officers. Two pigs, a goat and another fox were all awaiting orders.

"The four of you will be following Officer Wilde and I into the house. As I said earlier, our suspect is Jack Savage. He is a gray bunny, easily distinguishable with the black stripes on his cheeks and ears. We are assuming that he is armed, so clear the house one room at a time with _extreme_ caution. Is that understood?"

"Yes Officer Hopps" they all let out in unison.

"Alright, then let's go."

As they turned, Judy took one last look at the sky. Before she could walk to the front of the pack, Nick grabbed her arm. He pulled her into a kiss, wrapping his arms tightly around her. Once they separated, Nick held her chin and pointed her gaze up to him.

"I'm hoping that that won't be our last kiss, but you can never be too careful."

Judy grabbed his paw and squeezed it.

"Please Nick, don't think like that."

"I'm just being cautious Carrots."

They both turned and quickly walked to the front of the pack. As they approached the front door, every eye was a window in case Jack was lying in wait. Finally reaching the entrance to the home, Judy slowly turned the handle to find it unlocked. She slowly swung it open, the barrel of her gun pointed inside and at the ready.

"Foyer is clear." She kept her voice down in case Jack was waiting within hearing distance.

She entered first, followed by Nick, and finally the other four officers following behind in close pursuit.

The foyer emptied out into a living room with a kitchen overlooking it. Judy motioned for three officers to move left, while the other followed them to the right. As the others inspected the kitchen, Nick and Judy turned down a hallway.

"Nick, take the two doors on the left."

He did as he was told and tiptoed to the first door.

"Officer Gabriel, take the two doors on the right. I'll take the one at the end of the hall."

They separated. As Nick opened the first door, he was met with a large map pinned to the wall. His eyes widened and he found a grin growing on his muzzle.

"Bingo…"

Entering the room, he noticed a table sitting against a wall. Upon inspecting the surface, he found a Go Pro camera lying on top. The camera had been removed from its holding case, and the memory card ripped from it. Nick assumed that the small pile of burnt plastic to his left had, at one time, been the memory card.

"There goes our evidence."

He tossed the camera back down on the table and turned his head to the other wall. It was lined with jerry cans like the one from the back of Jack's truck. Nick quietly walked back to the doorway and peered into the hallway. Judy was going to be excited about the sheer volume of incriminating evidence in this one room.

"Carrots" he whisperd.

The open door at the end of the hallway yielded no response.

"Shit…"

Judy slowly opened the door at the end of the hall, doing her best to not make a sound. As she gazed around, she soon found that she had entered what she assumed to be Jack's bedroom. The windows let in the moonlight from outside. It cast an eerie glow into the room, which surely didn't ease Judy's state of mind. She shook it off and scanned the room. After finding no trace of Jack, she suddenly felt a cold draft enter the room.

"Oh no…"

Her attention fled to the open window.

"Damn it."

Judy unclipped the radio from her shoulder and pressed the call button.

"Everyone outside, I believe Mr. Savage is trying to flee along the east side of the house. I need half of you to head in that direction while the other half continues to watch the other possible exits."

Running to the window, she poked her head outside to find any trace of Jack.

The butt of a gun smashed into the back of her head and caused her to fall to the ground. Her vision spotted and she felt a stinging pain resonating in the back of her skull. With a violent yanking motion, she felt Jack's paws lift her up by the ears. Judy wanted to scream out in pain, but found her mind too scrambled to let anything out besides pitiful squeaks.

"I've been expecting you, Ms. Hopps."

Jack dragged her back into the bedroom, throwing her into a chair next to a desk. He spun the chair around towards him, having Judy's head brought up right next to the end of his barrel.

"Freeze!"

Jack's attention suddenly flew to the window, where he was met by the sight of officers swarming the lawn. One had opened the window and was standing in the doorway.

"Give me a _break_." Jack pushed the barrel into Judy's temple, keeping his cover behind her.

"I said _freeze_!" Officer Lake had stepped into the room, his weapon raised and its focus on the bunny.

Jack let out a psychotic chuckle.

"You and I both know that you have no way of winning in this scenario. Just from the slight tremble you have, I take it this must be your first major hunt for a wanted suspect."

The wolf remained silent, failing to keep his fear from becoming apparent on his face.

"Here's the deal. You can't take a shot without running of risk of injuring or killing Officer Hopps. Can you?"

Silence.

"I'll take that as a no. So here's the plan my friend. You're going to walk your sorry ass right back outside. If you don't, then I won't hesitate to blow this bunny's brains out all over this room. And I really wouldn't want to do that. I just had the carpet deep cleaned."

Pressing the barrel harder to Judy, Jack gave the wolf an unemotional expression. Stepping back outside, Officer Lake lowered his weapon and shut the window back. He pulled his radio to his muzzle, which Jack assumed meant that more backup was soon to be on the way.

"Smart choice."

He spun the chair around so Judy was now facing him. Rubbing the cold barrel of his weapon over her fur, he felt her tremble under his touch.

"Now, let's see what we can do with _you_."

"Carrots?"

Jack's attention turned to the door as he heard the call come from down the hallway. It wasn't long until he heard the light sound of footsteps approaching. As Nick walked in, he froze at the sight of Judy.

"Don't take another step closer, _fox_."

Nick raised his weapon.

"Drop the gun Savage!"

Jack let out another laugh and cocked the hammer back.

"Oh, I don't think so."

"I said, DROP IT!"

"Or what, will you shoot? I already know the answer to that, and it's 'no'."

Nick let his jaw drop open before quickly closing it again. He couldn't let Jack see he had gotten to him.

"I know you won't shoot, and here's why. You're too afraid that you may hurt Officer Hopps if you try and shoot me, which is why you won't do it."

"Yes I will! I would much rather have her injured than have her dead!"

"Then prove me wrong, Mr. Wilde. Just know that if you miss me, I _will_ kill her."

Nick's finger squeezed the trigger.

"I can't do it."

He let the pressure off and let the weapon down.

"What do you want to let her go?"

Jack now pushed the gun under Judy's chin, pressing it up into the space of her jawbone.

"What do I want? I want justice."

Nick shook his head in disbelief. He was dumfounded that a mammal holding an officer hostage had the nerve to demand justice for anything.

"Justice? For what? The only justice your pathetic ass will be getting is life in prison for slaughtering Officer Emerson the other night."

"Oh really? And just what proof do you have to put me at the scene of the crime?"

"Well considering that I just found the missing camera from the patrol car in your home, I would say that puts you at suspicion. I can also guarantee that when we pull a hair from you and match it to DNA found at the scene of the crime, that surely won't help your case. You would probably be done in by a test matching the bullets we recovered from the murder scene to match the rifling from the barrel of your gun."

Jack relieved some the pressure the gun had in Judy's chin, but still kept it pressed on her. For a split second, Nick could see the faint flicker of reality in his eyes. It finally set in that he had nowhere to run.

"I guess you really are a clever fox. Is there anything else you wish to share?"

"No. But I would like for you to share some information."

"And just why would I do that Officer Wilde?"

"Well let's list it off shall we. You're already looking at a second degree murder charge for Officer Emerson. In Bunny Burrow, that carries a minimum of 35 years without the possibility of parole. Add onto that the multiple arson charges that are going to brought against you once your little planning room down the hall is raided and this whole hostage situation. You're looking at 85 years in prison, in the very least. I'm going to be generous here and say that you're 30. So you're looking at life in prison since you and I both know you won't live to be 115."

Although Jack's mind was racing with the thought of pulling the trigger, he came up with a better idea. No matter what the situation, he couldn't resist the urge to tease someone.

"You're right, Officer Wilde. There is something I would like to share."

Nick raised a brow in confusion, not even half expecting for Jack to have opened up.

"I supposed that, if anything, you would like to know my motives behind the arsons."

"Yes, I would."

"I might as well tell you now. What difference does it make when I'm already going to spending life in prison?"

Nick didn't speak, only glaring at the bunny. He kept his gun at the ready in case the time came when he could use it.

"Every fire I lit may not have seemed connected to such a simple mind, such as yourself. But in all honesty, every fire revolved around the same motive: my mother."

"Your mother?"

"Oh yes. There's nothing I love more in this world than my mother. Anything that goes wrong to her, I find a way to bring justice for it."

"What the hell did anyone do to your mother that requires you burning down people's property?"

"Well let's run down the list shall we? The last one was… let's see… oh yes, the Levins. My mother had called me a week ago and mentioned during our conversation that the paint on her house was beginning to peel. When I asked why it was painted only five years ago and already began to peel, she told me the painter had skipped the primer stage to save money. So he just stripped the wood and laid paint down on top of that. It turns out Mr. Levin had offered to paint it for her at a cheap price that she couldn't pass up."

"Paint? You burned down his fucking barn because he did a cheap paint job?"

"Well you have to understand just how expensive it was to repaint her house."

Nick's jaw opened in astonishment.

"You _burned down_ his property. How in the hell is that justified in any way?"

"An eye for an eye, Mr. Wilde"

Nick was now struggling to keep his rage down.

"An eye for an… How are those two equal to each other? In your mind, 7 must be equal to 3. Is that really how you think? That one wrong is automatically equal to another?"

"You're spot on, Mr. Wilde. I don't view it as one action having greater value than another. They're both equal. A wrong must always be made right."

Nick put a paw onto his temple, finding no effect in soothing his headache.

"So what the hell did you burn down the other people's properties for? Did your mother get sugar in her coffee when she didn't ask for it?"

Jack remained emotionless, continuing to stare at Nick with his soulless blue eyes.

"If I remember correctly, the first one was a mechanic who charged her for work that didn't need to be done on her car at the time. The second was a roofer who used cheaply made shingles to save a few bucks. The third was a farmer who sold her some strawberries that gave her food poisoning. He had apparently mixed his pesticides too strong. And let's see, the fourth-"

"Stop, that's enough!"

"But I wasn't finished, Mr. Wilde."

Nick raised his voice, now fully exposing his internal anger to Jack.

"I don't need to hear anymore to understand that you are completely fucking insane! You apparently have no idea what makes two things equal. The whole time I worked this case, I wondered what kind of sick fuck could go around doing this. Now it's hit me. It's you!"

Jack donned a small smile and took a quick bow.

"And I don't see why you thought this would just add more onto your sentence. All you've done is give me the evidence I need to strengthen our case against you. Sadly for you, this doesn't mean any more jail time"

"Oh, Mr. Wilde, this isn't what I was talking about to add onto my sentence."

Nick shot him a confused look.

"This was."

Jack pressed the gun hard against Judy's cheek. Nick watched as a tear ran down her cheek and landed on the carpet.

 _BANG_ …


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: Peace - A Beginning**

Nick and Judy exited through the front door, dragging Jack in between them. Judy gazed up at the sky, thankful that she lived to see the stars again. As they stepped onto the front lawn, Chief Bogo walked up to meet them. His arms were crossed in front of his chest.

"Chief Brufford called me to say you two had an identity on the suspect. I just didn't picture that by the time I arrived, it would have escalated to _this_."

He motioned a hoof at Jack, who had now become weak with blood loss. Almost the entire right side of his shirt was stained with blood.

"So who shot him? I'm going to assume that it was justified?" Bogo spoke with a small hint of amusement that went unappreciated by neither fox nor bunny.

Nick nodded and glanced over at Judy. She still had blood splattered into her fur and uniform.

"Yes Chief. He took Judy hostage. She was the one who shot him." Nick spoke with a neutral tone, keeping his face equally emotionless.

Bogo raised an eyebrow. Looking down at Judy to confirm this, she gave a nod.

"How did you manage to shoot him while being held hostage, Hopps?"

"Well sir, he was smart enough to disarm the assault rifle I was carrying. That's where his intelligence ends, however. He wasn't smart enough to pat me down for any other weapons. So he missed the pistol I keep in my pocket in case a situation arises where I can't simply use my tranquilizer gun. I never thought I would have to use it, but I guess tonight changed that. While Ni-, Officer Wilde was distracting Mr. Savage by talking to him, I slowly slipped it from my pocket. I had to move slowly to prevent Mr. Savage from noticing. Luckily, I was able to draw it before he shot me."

"Shot you?" Bogo's eyes slightly widened with fright. It was the most concerned Judy had ever seen him.

"Yes Chief. He had a gun placed right under my chin. If I had been even three seconds slower, I would have been killed."

Bogo froze for a few seconds, absorbing the information that his best officer could have easily lost her life tonight. He shook his head, and turned back to the other squad cars that had arrived.

"Delgato, Fangmyre, please come take Mr. Savage from Wilde and Hopps. I feel they've had enough for tonight." The tiger and wolf rushed over, relieving the wounded bunny from Nick and Judy's custody. As they took him away, Judy could hear Delgato begin to read Jack his Miranda Rights.

"Alright, Hopps, Wilde, you two go head back to wherever you're staying tonight. Come back to the station around noon to give your reports. You both obviously need some rest."

With that, Bogo turned and walked towards Delgato and Fangmyre.

"Let's go."

Judy looked to see Nick had already begun to walk away without her. Sprinting to catch up, she noticed Nick refused to look at her the entire walk to the car. Once they were buckled up, Nick started the engine and drove away.

"You handled everything very well back there, Nick."

He refused to return, keeping his eyes focused on the road ahead.

"Did you hear me Nick?"

Nick remained staring straight out the windshield. His grip slowly began to tighten on the steering wheel.

"Nick?"

He slammed on the brakes and turned the wheel, bringing the car to a sudden halt on the side of the road.

"Nick… Is everything all right?"

He slammed his forearms on the steering wheel, throwing his head in between them, letting it hand down towards the floor. Judy watched as his composure broke and he began to weep. This son gave way to Nick letting out long sobs.

"Oh my God, Nick! What's wrong?!"

Judy reached out to place a paw on his wrist. Before she could lay it on him, he quickly retracted and forced himself against the window.

"Don't touch me!"

Judy quickly retracted, Nick's words digging a gaping hole into her heart. She soon found herself beginning to form tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Nick…"

He kept his gaze out the window.

"Can you please tell me what's wrong?"

Nick sniffled and wiped his nose on the sleeve of his uniform. His crying had somewhat subsided, but was still far from letting up.

"I… I almost lost you Carrots…" He refused to make eye contact with Judy.

"Nick… I understand that you worry about me, but there's nothing you could have done to help my situation."

"When you separated from Officer Gabriel and me, I really should have stopped you. I know you made the mistake of splitting to check the rooms, but I can't help but hold myself responsible for not speaking up."

Judy placed her paw on Nick's shoulder. Although he did not retreat from her touch this time, he didn't so much as glance in her direction.

"I know why you're worried Nick, but you need to know that nothing happened to me. I'm here, and I'm fine."

"But you almost weren't here Judy!"

Nick finally turned to make eye contact with her. His eyes were red from tears, but Judy could also see a faint glimmer of anger beginning to form deep inside them. His lips slightly curled up, revealing his pointed teeth.

"I can't help but be infuriated with myself for letting you go in alone… Do you know what I would do if you weren't here with me?! There's no way I could live without you! And I would spend every waking minute of my life being angry at myself for letting you go into Jack's bedroom alone!"

Nick threw himself at Judy, wrapping his arms around her. He pulled her tight, digging his head into her shoulder. Judy could feel his tears seeping into her fur as Nick completely lost any shred of control he had retained up until this point.

"I can't see… myself sleeping alone… at night… anymore!"

Judy let Nick hold her, deciding it best to just let him ride out his pain. She could feel his violent trembling beginning to diminish. As the last of his tears left, she ran a free paw up and down his back.

"I shouldn't have left you Nick, and I promise I won't eve-"

Nick cut her off as he pulled her away. Leaning in, he kissed her. Judy felt more than just the strong love Nick transferred to her through every contact of their lips. A new feeling flowed into her. Nick's strong passion for her safety was now fully evident to Judy. As he continued to show his eternal burning passion for her, Nick pulled Judy into his body. He kept her there for a solid minute, never wanting to feel them part. After their lips separated, he squeezed Judy into his chest. She could feel his heartbeat beginning to slow. She dug her paws into the soft fur of his neck, pulling herself up until his chin rested on top of her head.

"I never want to lose you, Judy…"

"And I'll always be here for you Nick…"


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: Peace - A Theme**

Judy unlocked the front door to her house, doing her best to remain quite. Having arrived back past 2 in the morning, Nick and Judy had no desire to wake up anyone at such an hour. As they silently crept down the hallway towards the guest bedroom, the only thought that filled Judy's mind was falling into the welcoming embrace of deep sleep. She opened the door and immediately went over and plopped down on the bed.

"Tired, Carrots?" Nick shut the door and locked the deadbolt.

"Extremely" Judy muttered, the word being slightly muffled from the comforter on the bed.

Nick walked over to the bed, crawling onto the surface. He crawled on all fours, keeping his torso elevated right above Judy.

"But you don't really want to go sleep yet, do you?"

Judy only responded with a deep sigh into the sheets.

"You wouldn't want to miss on what I wanted to do for you, would you Carrots?"

Placing a paw between Judy's stomach and the bedspread, Nick slowly flipped her over.

"What are you doing, Nick? Aren't you tired, too?"

Nick chuckled, putting his paw under her shirt and rubbing the soft fur of her stomach. Judy slightly trembled under his touch, her eyelids fluttering a small amount.

"Oh no, I'm starting to get tired as well. But before I can go to sleep, I need to release my stress."

He ran his paw further up Judy's body, soon beginning to gently squeeze one of her small, tender breasts. This caused her to let out a soft moan, her back arching up from the bed.

"I thought we talked about your stress in the car."

Nick now kneeled down on both knees, now allowing his paws to be free. While the other continued to massage Judy's breast, the other slipped under her shirt and up to her throat. He poked out one his claws and gently ran it through her fur.

"Oh no, Carrots. I'm talking about the stress I wasn't able to fully relieve before we got called to go on patrol."

He continued to run his claw over her, now moving to the nook between her collar bone and shoulder. This caused Judy to suck in a deep breath of pleasure.

"And from the way I'm making you squirm, I can only guess that you have the same stress I do. However, yours seems to be a lot heavier than mine."

Nick opened his mouth, placing it lightly over Judy's throat. He closed it, letting his teeth barely put any pressure on her skin. Judy let out another moan, this time being a little louder and dragging it out longer. Nick released his hold and let a smile cross his muzzle.

"I knew you would enjoy being my prey."

Leaning back down, he ran his tongue between her hears.

"I didn't even know I would enjoy this. It's strange, but I love being in your grasp."

Nick chuckled and slid his paws out from under her shirt. Reaching down, he began to undo the pants of her uniform. Judy once again arched her back, forcing her crotch right under Nick's nose. He could feel the heat emitting from her, and the intoxicating scent of her musk growing stronger.

"Horny little bunny, aren't we?"

Nick teased by running his claw over the fabric the lined Judy's thighs. She let out yet another moan, this time even louder than the previous.

"Just please stop teasing Nick. I can't take it…"

He nodded, giving silent acknowledgment to her request. Removing her pants, a wave of her scent overpowered his senses. This caused his head to swirl and his member begin to harden.

"Finger me…"

Nick shook his head and returned from his hormone-driven mind trip.

"Excuse me?"

Judy clenched the bed sheets, preparing herself.

"I said I want you to finger me."

Nick laughed, tracing a finger around the rim her carrot-print panties.

"Are you sure Carrots? If this is your first time, I must suggest that you take the full package."

Judy glanced down at Nick's crotch, noticing the outline of his raging erection. As a tease, she grabbed his paw and placed it on under her panties. She watched Nick's eyes slightly roll up and his mouth open in erotic sensation. The massive bulge in his pants seemed to pulsate has he felt the lips of her opening.

"Get me close to the edge, then you can finish the job with that giant fox cock."

She ran a foot over his bulge, causing him to moan. Although his wasn't as loud as Judy's, it still wasn't exactly at a quiet volume.

"If you keep this up, Carrots, I may just cum in my pants before I get a chance to take you."

Nick leaned down and slid Judy's panties down to her ankles. He stuffed his nose down, taking in a long inhalation of her scent.

"My God, you smell _so_ good…"

"Just be patient, you'll have your turn."

Nick placed a paw on each of her knees, spreading them open for his servicing to begin.

"Maybe I can have just a small taste."

He suddenly threw his head down, letting his tongue slide insider her. At the sudden and surprising action, Judy threw her head back to let out a scream. Only no sound escaped her throat.

"Oh sweet lord, Nick…"

Judy's grip on the sheets tightened even further. As she felt Nick's tongue trace around inside her, she already began her climb to the peak of her orgasm. Although the distance was far, she could tell she was traveling fast.

"Go deeper… Nick…. Deeper…"

Nick now pushed his tongue as far in as it could go. The further he went, the more he could feel Judy straining to keep her legs open. He knew it wasn't her own choice and was nothing more than a natural reaction of her body.

"Oh… _Nick_ …"

Judy's mind swirled as she was lost in the intense sentiment caused by Nick's rough tongue exploring inside of her. Out of the blue, she felt him hit a bullseye. A sensation of pure bliss swept over her body as Nick found her most sensitive inner area.

Pulling his head up, she noticed her juices dripping from his muzzle.

"It seems, I've found exactly where I need to hit."

Still recovering from the sensation Nick had made her feel, Judy was barely able to form a sentence.

"You got me… close… Now finish it…"

Nick grinned as he traced the insides of her legs with his fingers.

"My pleasure."

With that, he threw open his shirt and tossed it on the floor beside the bed. His pants came off even quicker, only leaving him a pair of tight compression shorts. The tip of his boner was unable to be constrained, poking above the waistband.

"Since when do you where compression shorts" Judy asked with amusement.

"I've had to start wearing them while we're on the job. Since you haven't noticed the times you've given me a raging boner on the job, that means they're doing a great job of keeping it concealed. It may strangle the life out my meat and squeeze the living hell out my balls, but it's better than walking around my sex-sword up."

Judy sat up and gripped the hem, slowing pulling them down. Nick's cock, now fully escaped from its prison, was pressing against Judy's chest.

"Even for other fox females you've slept with, was this considered large?"

Judy grabbed onto his shaft with one paw, using the other to fondle his balls. Nick's dick throbbed in her grasp, a small amount of precum secreting from the tip.

"I was always told I was the biggest they'd been with. For small bunnies such as yourself, I'm pretty sure that even Finnick would be considered a decent size."

Still holding Nick, Judy removed her paw from his balls and used to her cover her mouth. Nick could still faintly hear the laughter she was struggling to suppress. After she'd calmed down, she looked back up to Nick.

"Is Finnick actually that small?"

"Well considering his height, it's slightly below normal for him. But if he were to try and rail a female fox my size, he wouldn't exactly 'size' up to the task."

Judy opened her mouth to ask a question, but was quickly silenced by Nick's finger over her lips.

"And before you ask what I think you're about to, I caught him jacking off one time. That's why we now have a rule about knocking on his van door and not just swinging it open."

Judy snickered at the thought of the petite fennec fox being caught masturbating.

"Poor little guy. He didn't even get to finish the task at hand."

Nick's cheerful grin took a momentary leave as his face contorted with disgust.

"Oh no, he did. Sadly it was right as I was opening the door. I used to have this beautiful blue floral print shirt. Let's just say, Finn threw me a little baby shower when I opened the door. It scared the living shit out of him. I had to throw away the shirt. No matter how many times I could have washed it, there's no way I wouldn't have the feeling of his baby fixins' against my fur."

"Alright, alright, I've heard enough."

Judy grabbed Nick's arms and pulled him down on top of her as she fell into the bed. He tilted his head down, locking lips with her. As his body slowly rested down on top her, she could feel the lubricated tip of his stiff cock teasing at her opening.

"Take me, Nick. Make me _yours_."

Nick pulled his head from kissing her neck to stare deep into her eyes.

"Are you sure you're ready for this? Because I must warn you, I have this weird thing that only foxes have, and I just wan-"

Judy pulled his head back down to hers and placed a quick kiss on his lips. When they separated, Judy ran her paws through the fur of chest and felt his muscles tensing under her touch.

" _Mate… me…_ "

With a smile on his face, Nick slowly began to enter Judy. Rather than letting out a moan this time, Judy found herself screaming out in joy. Although she had fanstisiced about it multiple times, she never thought Nick would feel this amazing. As he slide into her inch by inch, Judy felt her mind falling deeper and deeper into elation.

"Do I need to stop, Carrots? I really don't want to hurt you."

"If I can't take any more, I'll let you know. I promise. I wouldn't let you hurt me."

Nick leaned down and kissed her neck again. Now fully inside Judy, he began to slowly pull halfway out and then slide back in. He kept at a slow speed at first, allowing Judy to get used to the feeling.

"Don't go slow with me, Nick… I want you to fucking destroy me."

As Nick quickened his pace, he looked up to lock eyes with Judy. His jaw hung slightly open as he began to lightly pant.

"For a… virgin… you don't… want it… easy…"

Judy wrapped her arms around the back of Nick's neck. She used this to lift herself up, placing her head between his shoulder and neck. To her, the best part was not having to do any of the work. She just let Nick go to town on her as she drew closer and closer to her peak.

"Faster Nick… I can feel I'm getting close…"

Nick's thrust now turned almost violent as he fucked Judy at his quickest speed. The only sound either one focused on was the heavy breathing barreling from their throats and the sound of their bodies slapping together.

"I'm gonna cum, Carrots… Are you close too?"

Judy, barely able to mutter any words through her heavy breathing and moaning, let out a "yes…"

Nick wrapped his paws around her back, pulling himself fully into her as they both drew nearer and nearer to their peaks. Suddenly, Judy saw her vision go wait as her orgasm finally arrived. At the same time, she felt Nick give a final deep thrust and erupt inside of her. He let out a load moan, almost to the level of a scream, soon followed by him yelling, "Judy!"

Judy was unable to hear him, lost in her own intense shockwave of orgasmic euphoria. All of her limbs went numb, only feeling Nick's grasp on her and the second cumshot that exploded inside of her. Judy felt her mind fall completely out of contact with the rest of the world, suddenly feeling as if a cage of butterflies had been opened in the back of her mind. Enjoying the ecstatic state of her orgasm, she soon began to feel herself fall out of it. As her vision began to return, she rode out the aftershock of her orgasm with Nick's fur now feeling intertwined with hers.

After they both returned to reality, Judy removed her head from its perch between Nick's shoulder and neck. He stared lovingly into her eyes.

"I guess this means you're my mate." Nick leaned down and gave her a kiss.

"I guess it does. Now, let's go shower and get to bed."

As she tried to pull away from Nick's cock, she found herself… stuck…

"Um, Nick, what is this?"

"I told you, Carrots, foxes have this weird thing. And that thing is called 'knotting'. When we mate, the base of our dicks also have a mass of tissue that we call a 'knot'. Whenever we finish inside a female, it basically swells up and locks us in place so we can keep our seed inside."

Judy smiled and rubbed her paw along his stomach.

"Well you didn't tell me that we would be locked together by your freaky fox penis."

"Hey, you're the one that told me to go all the way in. I've never knotted with a female before because after we both cum, I just feel it be awkward to have her locked onto your dick for half an hour."

"Well then I guess we can skip the shower tonight. I feel that by the time your knot finally suppresses, I'll already be asleep."

Nick nodded and flipped them both on their sides. Facing each other, he pulled Judy into his chest. He rested his head on top of hers and inhaled the scent still lingering on her.

"I love you, Judy."

"I love you too, Nick."

* * *

Sitting at the dining room table, Nick gulped down a cup of coffee. Usually he would have put cream and sugar in, but he didn't want to dilute his wakeup juice this morning. He brought the glass down on the table.

"Hey, Mrs. Hopps, may I please have another cup?"

Bonnie looked over from her spot in front of the stove, giving Nick a 'really?' look.

"Sorry, I forgot. _Bonnie_ … may I please have another cup?"

She walked over and filled his mug again.

"My oh my, you two were up late. It seems that sleeping in didn't even help."

Stu looked up from his newspaper.

"I've never seen you with such bags under your eyes, Judy."

Judy rolled her bloodshot eyes, giving Stu a playful smile.

"I know dad. It was just a late night. At least we finally caught the suspect for the arson. He's most likely looking at life in prison without the chance of parrol."

Stu stopped the fork-full of food in front of his open mouth. He gave Judy a puzzled expression.

"Arson suspect? That's not what we're talking about."

It was Judy's turn to be confused.

"Well did you think we were talking about?"

The inside of Stu's ears turned pink. He shoved his face back into his newspaper and refused to continue the conversation.

"Morning everyone!"

Nick and Judy looked over to see one of Judy's sisters into the room still wearing her pajamas. The bunny motioned to Stu who still kept himself concealed behind the paper.

"What's his deal?"

Judy threw a paw in her father's direction.

"Oh, just ignore him. He was saying how tired I look, but apparently doesn't know I was out catching the arson suspect late last night."

Judy's sister opened her eyes wide.

"Oh no! Dad's not talking about that!"

"Oh really? Then what's he talking about that is _sooo_ confidential that he can't so much as utter a word of it."

"Well considering half of this floor of the house could hear you getting fucked by that fox last night, my money is on that. And to add onto that, I'm surprised you can walk this morning. It sounded to me like he gave you one hell of a ride last night."


	21. Chapter 20

**This chapter uses two songs (both by Yes). The first is 'Siberian Khatru' and is played from the beginning. The second is 'And You and I' which is played from the 7:05 mark**

* * *

 **Chapter 20: Peace - An End**

Nick unlocked the door to his apartment, throwing it open with glee.

"Finally, home at last!"

He threw himself onto his couch, letting his head tilt back as far as it could. Judy entered in through the door, carrying a half-full suitcase.

Judy's parents had dropped them off at the train station earlier that morning around 11 am. As Nick took their bags from the bed of the small truck, Stu had walked up behind him while Bonnie smothered Judy in a hug. He placed a paw on Nick's shoulder, and told him how sure he was Nick would be able to watch after Judy. Nick recalled how Stu's voice trembled as a few tears began to form in the corners of his eyes. Nick gave Stu a hug, pulling him close to let the bunny drain out his emotions.

"Still thinking about how my dad broke down at the train station?"

Nick kept his head tilted back, but managed to roll his eyes in Judy's direction.

"I wouldn't exactly call it a break down, Carrots. To me, it was more of a sensitive sharing of his emotions."

Judy placed her suitcase on the side of the couch, taking a seat beside Nick. She placed a paw on his thigh, gently moving up and down.

"Call it what you want, I thought he just lost all control."

Nick laughed, causing his whole body to shake.

"I guess there's no hope in me winning this one."

"Not a chance."

"So, Carrots, how does it feel to finally be out of that shoebox apartment?"

"It feels great being able to walk six feet in any direction and not have your face touching a wall. I just wish I could have said good bye to my neighbors better."

Nick cracked his neck.

"What do you mean? You got to say bye to them before we went and ended your rental contract."

Judy punched him in the shoulder. Even for her small size, she packed quite a lot of force. This caused Nick to wince in pain, unable to hide it from her.

"It would have been nice if you hadn't told them we would, and I quote, 'be making carrot juice every night to stay healthy.'"

"They seemed to appreciate the joke. And it's not like I lied. If we make love as viciously as we did last night, we'll both stay in tip-top shape."

Judy rolled her eyes and walked to the kitchen. She dug through the refrigerator, trying to find something that could please both their appetites.

"Look at this way, Carrots. At least Bogo was kind enough to give us two days off when we were at the station earlier."

"I'm still upset that we got there around 12:30 and didn't get to leave for almost 6 hours. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

She pulled out a bag of cheese and stick of butter. Walking over to one of the cabinets, she rummaged through and pulled out a box of uncooked pasta noodles.

"Will you eat pasta? That seems to be the only thing in here that I could stand to stomach."

"What's the matter, Carrots? Don't enjoy that delectable _crunch_ of bugs?"

Judy pointed a finger into her mouth and stuck out her tongue, faking a loud and harsh gagging sound.

"Fine, I'll make sure to start stocking stuff that we can both enjoy. I can go to the store tomorrow after we sleep in."

Pleased with her actions, Judy pulled out a pot and filled it with water. Placing it on the stove and adding a little salt, she turned on the burner. While the water began to boil, Nick finally stood up from the couch. He walked over to his record shelf, tilting his head to read the spines.

"Can you please play something that keep me awake? I really don't want to fall asleep and face-plant into a pot of boiling water."

Nick chuckled, finally outstretching his paw after finding his selection. He pulled a record from its protective plastic sleeve, admiring the artwork. The front cover was green at the bottom, fading to black as it reached the top. The sleeve was adorned with an intricate title: _Close to the Edge – Yes_. Removing the record from its inner sleeve, Nick dropped it onto the turntable platter. He switched on the stereo system and dropped the needle about halfway through the record.

 **Begin 'Siberian Khatru'**

"Not a bad choice, Mr. Wilde."

Nick smiled and walked into the kitchen. While Judy poured the dried noodles into the water, he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. They slowly swayed back and forth to the rythym as Judy shredded cheese onto a cutting board.

"You know, Carrots, I guess this means that we are officially moved in together. Should we go change your address tomorrow?"

Judy tilted her head back, resting against Nick's chest.

"It would be a smart thing to do. I don't need important paperwork to continue being delivered to my old apartment."

Nick rested his chin on top of her head and inhaled deeply. Even when she wasn't emitting her intoxicating musk, he still enjoyed her slight scent.

"I'm sure Flash will be more than happy to change that information and issue you a new driver's license."

Judy sighed while she picked up the pot. Moving from Nick's grasp, she brought it over to the sink and emptied the contents into a colander. Steam wafted up towards the cabinet.

"I really wish they would hire a few different mammals to work the DMV. I don't want to spend the entirety of one of our free days standing in line."

Judy emptied the drained pasta into two bowls. Using the edge of a knife blade, she even distributed the cutting board's contents on top of each bowl. She grabbed one in each paw and carried them over to the dining room table.

"While I set the table, how about you pick out a nice wine for us to enjoy?"

Nick clicked his tongue and pointed a pistol finger at her. As he browsed through his selection stocked in the wine cooler, Judy called from the dining room.

"You know, I really feel I could get used to this little life of luxury."

Nick set two chilled wine glasses on the countertop. Popping the cork from the bottle, he poured the mid sweet white wine. He took a glass to Judy as he sipped from his.

"And you'll stay like this for a while. I have enough money saved up from… *cough* other work *cough* … to last us for a while."

"Well I'll most likely sell my car. There's no point in us having two since we'll never be away from each other."

Nick set his glass down next his bowl on the table.

"Are you sure you wouldn't want to keep it? You're seriously not worried that we'll have to use both at some point in time."

They both sat down in a chair, facing each other.

"I only got t because my dad didn't want me to ride the subways here. He was always worried a homeless may stab me with a piece of broken glass to take my wallet. Now that I have you, there's no more need for that protection."

"Well I'm flattered, Carrots."

As they sipped on their wine and ate their dinner, there was no need to speak. The look of pure, never-ending burning in the other's eyes was worth a thousand words. After they finished and the record ended, they brought their dishes over to the sink. As Judy loaded them into the dishwasher after a light rinsing, she felt Nick press himself against her back.

"What are you doing, Nick" she asked with a chuckle.

"Just trust me, Carrots."

Nick grabbed her waist with one paw, twirling her around to face him. He rubbed her nose against hers, causing Judy to giggle.

"Follow me."

Keeping one arm still wrapped around her waist, he led Judy into the living room. She hadn't noticed that while she had been rinsing their dishes, he had moved the coffee table and couch off to the side. The living room was now a large open space.

"Why'd you move everything?"

Nick's only response was a grin on his muzzle as he walked back to the turntable. Lifting the needle from the end of the record, he hovered above the middle of the first track and dropped it.

 **Begin 'And You and I'**

Walking back in Judy's direction, Nick outstretched his paw.

"May I please have this dance?"

The insides of Judy's ears turned pink as she placed her paw in his. Nick placed his arm back around her waist, extending their clasped paws out to the side. He rested his head down on top of her head.

"Take me away, Nick…"

She nuzzled the side of her head into his chest. His heartbeat was slower than it had been in the past, but was louder than it had ever been. Feeling the warmth of his body, Judy pressed herself closer and inhaled his scent. For the first time in her life, Judy felt that her life was perfect. Although she had had similar experiences to this moment, it had never been a whole feeling.

"I could just stay like this forever, Nick…"

She felt him laugh slightly as it resonated inside his body.

"You read my mind, Carrots…"

Nick lifted his head from atop hers, placing a paw under her chin. As he stared into her deep, violet eyes, she was met with the same burning passion in his gaze that was in hers. As if reading each other's minds, they both extended their heads towards each other. They locked lips and paused their dancing. As they stood motionless in the moment of blissful euphoria, their minds raced with only thought.

 _There's no one else I want to spend my life with._

Finally separating, Nick wrapped both arms around Judy and pulled her tight.

"I love you, Judy."

"I love you, Nick."

 _"Coming quickly to terms of all expression laid…_

 _Emotions revealed as the ocean maid…_

 _As a movement regained and regarded both the same…_

 _All complete in the sight of seeds of life with you…"_


End file.
